1 00:00:02,500 --> 00:00:06,100 As a cameraman, I've filmed wildlife all over the planet, 2 00:00:06,100 --> 00:00:09,260 but there are limits to where I can go. 3 00:00:09,260 --> 00:00:14,020 She's returned to the place that I can't follow her. 4 00:00:14,020 --> 00:00:17,340 So in this series, it's the animals that are doing the filming, 5 00:00:17,340 --> 00:00:20,340 to reveal the secret side of their lives 6 00:00:20,340 --> 00:00:22,380 we've never seen before. 7 00:00:22,380 --> 00:00:23,420 That's so cool. 8 00:00:23,420 --> 00:00:24,740 That is lovely. 9 00:00:26,180 --> 00:00:29,700 Over the years, we've designed pioneering mini-cameras for a huge 10 00:00:29,700 --> 00:00:31,540 range of animals. 11 00:00:31,540 --> 00:00:32,820 It's like a job interview. 12 00:00:32,820 --> 00:00:35,460 Everything is made to measure. 13 00:00:35,460 --> 00:00:38,660 Just figuring out what her new bit of bling is. 14 00:00:40,180 --> 00:00:42,980 And we've teamed up with scientists who want to see the world 15 00:00:42,980 --> 00:00:44,980 from an animal's perspective, 16 00:00:44,980 --> 00:00:47,340 to learn about the challenges they face, 17 00:00:47,340 --> 00:00:50,060 and help protect them in the future. 18 00:00:50,060 --> 00:00:53,380 She is potentially showing us parts of the ocean that no-one 19 00:00:53,380 --> 00:00:54,500 has seen before. 20 00:00:56,540 --> 00:01:00,580 Our unconventional film crew reveal surprising behaviour... 21 00:01:00,580 --> 00:01:02,380 Oh, there's another one! 22 00:01:02,380 --> 00:01:04,820 ..and help us help them. 23 00:01:04,820 --> 00:01:06,540 Woohoo! 24 00:01:06,540 --> 00:01:08,260 Couldn't be happier than that. 25 00:01:08,260 --> 00:01:10,180 In this special episode, 26 00:01:10,180 --> 00:01:12,180 we're diving underwater, 27 00:01:12,180 --> 00:01:15,820 where our cameras will help answer scientists' crucial questions 28 00:01:15,820 --> 00:01:18,460 about some of the most remarkable animals in the ocean. 29 00:01:20,060 --> 00:01:22,420 What DO turtles get up to at sea? 30 00:01:23,540 --> 00:01:26,140 Can sharks help protect coral reefs? 31 00:01:27,380 --> 00:01:29,620 How do gannets find their food? 32 00:01:31,100 --> 00:01:35,980 And how do seal pups survive after being abandoned by their mother? 33 00:01:35,980 --> 00:01:38,180 This is their world, 34 00:01:38,180 --> 00:01:41,260 their footage and their story. 35 00:01:56,660 --> 00:01:59,700 My first adventure starts here... 36 00:01:59,700 --> 00:02:01,220 ..Cape Verde. 37 00:02:02,980 --> 00:02:07,180 A cluster of tropical islands off the west coast of Africa. 38 00:02:07,180 --> 00:02:08,780 I'm on Sal - 39 00:02:08,780 --> 00:02:10,940 one of the driest and most barren. 40 00:02:12,660 --> 00:02:16,300 This really is a true desert island. 41 00:02:18,540 --> 00:02:21,820 First impressions as a wildlife cameraman looking around, 42 00:02:21,820 --> 00:02:24,300 there aren't that many wild animals. 43 00:02:26,660 --> 00:02:31,220 But for just a few months each summer, the sandy beaches 44 00:02:31,220 --> 00:02:35,460 in the south where I'm heading are inundated by 45 00:02:35,460 --> 00:02:38,260 a very, very special reptile - 46 00:02:38,260 --> 00:02:39,900 the loggerhead turtle. 47 00:02:43,780 --> 00:02:46,980 Loggerheads can weigh twice as much as an adult human 48 00:02:46,980 --> 00:02:49,420 and live for up to 50 years. 49 00:02:51,140 --> 00:02:56,740 They spend their lives traversing the world's oceans all on their own, 50 00:02:56,740 --> 00:02:59,780 travelling thousands of kilometres between feeding grounds. 51 00:03:01,860 --> 00:03:04,900 Because they spend so much time in the open ocean, 52 00:03:04,900 --> 00:03:07,340 extremely little is known about them. 53 00:03:08,580 --> 00:03:11,580 So what do these creatures do at sea? 54 00:03:11,580 --> 00:03:14,260 Hopefully our cameras will find out. 55 00:03:18,580 --> 00:03:22,180 Biologists Albert Taxonera and Christophe Eizaguirre 56 00:03:22,180 --> 00:03:26,260 have been studying the loggerheads on Sal for the past decade. 57 00:03:26,260 --> 00:03:30,700 What we are trying to do is to learn more about the conservation status 58 00:03:30,700 --> 00:03:33,340 of these animals, learn more about them, so we can actually 59 00:03:33,340 --> 00:03:34,980 protect them better. 60 00:03:34,980 --> 00:03:38,700 Cape Verde hosts one of the world's largest populations 61 00:03:38,700 --> 00:03:41,260 of nesting loggerheads. 62 00:03:41,260 --> 00:03:43,100 During the breeding season, 63 00:03:43,100 --> 00:03:45,900 up to 7,000 females return to Sal's beaches, 64 00:03:45,900 --> 00:03:47,940 where they were born. 65 00:03:48,980 --> 00:03:53,460 Each can lay up to six clutches of 80 eggs. 66 00:03:53,460 --> 00:03:56,420 It's widely believed that during their nesting season, 67 00:03:56,420 --> 00:04:00,380 loggerheads will not feed for five months. 68 00:04:00,380 --> 00:04:02,620 But is this actually true? 69 00:04:02,620 --> 00:04:06,260 Do turtles feed in the surrounding ocean or not? 70 00:04:06,260 --> 00:04:11,140 Albert and Christophe need to use our cameras to find the answer. 71 00:04:11,140 --> 00:04:13,700 I've been working in Cape Verde for ten years, 72 00:04:13,700 --> 00:04:15,380 and for almost as long as this time 73 00:04:15,380 --> 00:04:19,300 we have the speculation that turtles feed locally. 74 00:04:20,620 --> 00:04:23,700 So why is it important to know if they're feeding? 75 00:04:23,700 --> 00:04:27,620 The beaches of Sal are already protected to safeguard the turtles. 76 00:04:29,420 --> 00:04:32,820 But the surrounding coral reefs are not. 77 00:04:32,820 --> 00:04:35,020 So if the turtles are feeding here, 78 00:04:35,020 --> 00:04:38,500 the marine ecosystem needs protecting, too. 79 00:04:39,580 --> 00:04:43,340 If we understand what they do, we can always push 80 00:04:43,340 --> 00:04:45,820 for better conservation strategies. 81 00:04:47,100 --> 00:04:50,660 But to safeguard the waters, first they need evidence - 82 00:04:50,660 --> 00:04:52,940 something I hope our cameras can help with. 83 00:04:55,820 --> 00:04:58,500 This morning, I'm heading a few kilometres offshore 84 00:04:58,500 --> 00:05:01,860 with Albert, to a reef location where he suspects the turtles 85 00:05:01,860 --> 00:05:03,100 could be feeding. 86 00:05:04,540 --> 00:05:07,180 Seeing the turtles on the beaches, and you've got this opportunity 87 00:05:07,180 --> 00:05:09,780 to be very close to them, to study them intimately, 88 00:05:09,780 --> 00:05:13,100 but then they get into the water and they are gone. 89 00:05:13,100 --> 00:05:15,180 It is true, because we see the turtles, 90 00:05:15,180 --> 00:05:18,500 we study a very small, tiny portion of their life. 91 00:05:18,500 --> 00:05:20,580 That's when they come to lay the eggs. 92 00:05:20,580 --> 00:05:22,700 We don't know what's going on in the ocean. 93 00:05:22,700 --> 00:05:26,780 I think that the footage from the cameras will help us improve 94 00:05:26,780 --> 00:05:28,500 much more our knowledge. 95 00:05:31,380 --> 00:05:34,020 It's a free dive of nine metres to reach the bottom. 96 00:05:35,740 --> 00:05:39,900 And within seconds, we get our first glimpse of a turtle 97 00:05:39,900 --> 00:05:41,460 swimming into the blue. 98 00:05:47,980 --> 00:05:51,740 And just metres away, another resting on the seabed. 99 00:05:56,140 --> 00:05:57,980 Amongst the shoals of fish, 100 00:05:57,980 --> 00:06:01,260 these rocky outcrops are the perfect environment for crustaceans 101 00:06:01,260 --> 00:06:06,060 and seaweed, which loggerheads are known to feed on elsewhere. 102 00:06:09,340 --> 00:06:13,620 It's a brief dive, but it gives me a tantalising insight 103 00:06:13,620 --> 00:06:15,300 into the turtles' world. 104 00:06:16,860 --> 00:06:20,340 But even if I had a scuba tank, I couldn't follow them for long enough 105 00:06:20,340 --> 00:06:25,380 to answer Albert's questions, so I'm hoping our cameras can. 106 00:06:27,620 --> 00:06:31,340 We just need a suitable loggerhead to join the team. 107 00:06:36,380 --> 00:06:40,620 As night falls, the turtles begin to arrive on the beaches. 108 00:06:42,460 --> 00:06:46,100 It's Albert and Christophe's opportunity to survey the nesting 109 00:06:46,100 --> 00:06:48,820 females, and I'm joining them to find one 110 00:06:48,820 --> 00:06:52,380 for our all-important camera deployment. 111 00:06:54,860 --> 00:06:59,180 So how many turtles do you think are on the beach? Right now? Yeah. 112 00:06:59,180 --> 00:07:03,140 Every night we are counting around 100 nests, around. Wow. 113 00:07:03,140 --> 00:07:06,140 So that's 100 turtles. 114 00:07:06,140 --> 00:07:08,860 So we should trip over one fairly soon. Definitely. 115 00:07:08,860 --> 00:07:11,060 Actually, we can see one from here already. 116 00:07:11,060 --> 00:07:13,460 Do you want to go and have a look? 117 00:07:13,460 --> 00:07:16,300 Albert makes a quiet approach, 118 00:07:16,300 --> 00:07:18,540 so not to disturb this female. 119 00:07:20,220 --> 00:07:22,980 We're looking for a turtle that's big enough to carry our 120 00:07:22,980 --> 00:07:24,300 camera with ease. 121 00:07:30,380 --> 00:07:35,460 She looks big. She's around 80, 81, 80cm long. 122 00:07:35,460 --> 00:07:38,460 That's big enough for us. 123 00:07:38,460 --> 00:07:40,380 We've found our new crew member. 124 00:07:42,980 --> 00:07:45,740 And this is the camera she'll be wearing. 125 00:07:45,740 --> 00:07:47,060 This is the camera end. 126 00:07:47,060 --> 00:07:50,060 We've got a high-definition camera that's sort of 127 00:07:50,060 --> 00:07:52,740 tilting forward and down, that's going to give us that 128 00:07:52,740 --> 00:07:55,140 over-the-shoulder view, a turtle's-eye view. 129 00:07:55,140 --> 00:07:57,780 We've got the attachment points here. 130 00:07:57,780 --> 00:07:59,460 After a day at sea, 131 00:07:59,460 --> 00:08:03,180 there's magnesium swivels that dissolve in saltwater, 132 00:08:03,180 --> 00:08:06,940 and that's when the camera floats back up to the surface. 133 00:08:06,940 --> 00:08:09,620 Once the turtle has finished laying her precious eggs, 134 00:08:09,620 --> 00:08:13,300 Albert and Christophe work swiftly and silently 135 00:08:13,300 --> 00:08:16,780 to collect valuable data for their ongoing research. 136 00:08:19,540 --> 00:08:23,780 Then they place a temporary box around her to keep her safe. 137 00:08:26,460 --> 00:08:31,260 This is an exciting moment for me because this female is soon to go 138 00:08:31,260 --> 00:08:34,500 from just being one of the many thousands of turtles that visit 139 00:08:34,500 --> 00:08:38,780 these nests, to becoming a member of our film crew. 140 00:08:41,660 --> 00:08:45,700 Her shell, or carapace, is given a clean, and the camera is attached 141 00:08:45,700 --> 00:08:49,420 using an environmentally friendly resin. 142 00:08:49,420 --> 00:08:53,860 Once the camera anchors have eroded away, this, too, will be shed 143 00:08:53,860 --> 00:08:55,300 over the coming days. 144 00:08:56,300 --> 00:08:59,460 Just over an hour after she first heaved 145 00:08:59,460 --> 00:09:01,260 herself onto the beach, 146 00:09:01,260 --> 00:09:04,540 our turtle is reunited with the ocean. 147 00:09:04,540 --> 00:09:05,620 Here she comes. 148 00:09:07,500 --> 00:09:11,380 Now it's over to her to film her secret world. 149 00:09:11,380 --> 00:09:14,500 But only if all of this technology works. 150 00:09:16,020 --> 00:09:19,460 Fingers crossed we'll get our camera back in 24 hours' time. 151 00:09:27,980 --> 00:09:33,700 More than 80% of the ocean is unmapped and unexplored. 152 00:09:33,700 --> 00:09:38,860 Even the lives of the most notorious marine animals harbour secrets. 153 00:09:38,860 --> 00:09:41,820 You might think we know all there is to know about sharks, 154 00:09:41,820 --> 00:09:45,540 but as they live at sea and can swim at high speeds, 155 00:09:45,540 --> 00:09:48,820 they're incredibly tricky to study. 156 00:09:48,820 --> 00:09:52,580 So our understanding of their lives is actually quite limited. 157 00:09:52,580 --> 00:09:55,740 But our onboard cameras can help change that. 158 00:09:57,460 --> 00:10:00,940 Scientist Dr Tristan Guttridge has been studying sharks 159 00:10:00,940 --> 00:10:04,380 in the Bahamas for the past 15 years. 160 00:10:04,380 --> 00:10:09,620 I have been literally obsessed with sharks since I can remember, 161 00:10:09,620 --> 00:10:11,660 and it's just grown and grown and grown. 162 00:10:11,660 --> 00:10:15,860 And I'm now a 38-year-old marine scientist that still 163 00:10:15,860 --> 00:10:18,740 has that little-kid passion to work with sharks 164 00:10:18,740 --> 00:10:20,460 and to learn more about them, 165 00:10:20,460 --> 00:10:23,900 and to try and hopefully conserve them and protect them. 166 00:10:23,900 --> 00:10:27,340 Tristan has come to the island of Andros - home to one 167 00:10:27,340 --> 00:10:29,940 of the largest coral reefs in the world, 168 00:10:29,940 --> 00:10:32,460 measuring over 220km long. 169 00:10:34,220 --> 00:10:37,820 It's a magnet for several species of shark who rely on it 170 00:10:37,820 --> 00:10:40,340 for food and shelter. 171 00:10:40,340 --> 00:10:47,020 Reef sharks, lemon sharks and great hammerhead patrol the area. 172 00:10:47,020 --> 00:10:49,980 Even one of the biggest predators in the ocean, 173 00:10:49,980 --> 00:10:52,060 the tiger shark, lives here. 174 00:10:53,380 --> 00:10:54,940 Around the world, 175 00:10:54,940 --> 00:10:58,500 coral reefs are dying at unprecedented rates 176 00:10:58,500 --> 00:11:02,380 due to pollution and climate change. 177 00:11:02,380 --> 00:11:05,940 Tristan needs to check the health of the Andros Reef to ascertain 178 00:11:05,940 --> 00:11:09,180 if these sharks will have a home in the future. 179 00:11:09,180 --> 00:11:12,900 Doing this with a team of scuba divers would be an enormous task 180 00:11:12,900 --> 00:11:15,060 that could damage the coral. 181 00:11:15,060 --> 00:11:19,140 So the best guide to this vital underwater habitat 182 00:11:19,140 --> 00:11:20,700 is the sharks themselves. 183 00:11:20,700 --> 00:11:24,300 As a human, I can only spend about an hour underwater, 184 00:11:24,300 --> 00:11:26,900 and I'm limited to certain depths as well. 185 00:11:26,900 --> 00:11:31,500 But a reef shark, it can act as essentially a surveyor 186 00:11:31,500 --> 00:11:32,940 for many, many hours. 187 00:11:32,940 --> 00:11:35,780 And so we can actually look at the health of the system 188 00:11:35,780 --> 00:11:39,220 that it's swimming in and patrolling. 189 00:11:39,220 --> 00:11:42,580 Tristan wants to enlist the help of Caribbean reef sharks. 190 00:11:42,580 --> 00:11:46,740 They spend most of their time around the coral, making them perfect 191 00:11:46,740 --> 00:11:49,180 to carry the cameras. 192 00:11:49,180 --> 00:11:53,300 Tristan is tagging sharks as part of his ongoing research, 193 00:11:53,300 --> 00:11:56,660 so this is a good opportunity to add our onboard technology. 194 00:11:58,940 --> 00:12:01,780 He's helped by shark expert Grant Johnson. 195 00:12:01,780 --> 00:12:06,860 And to catch the sharks, they're using a simple float system. 196 00:12:06,860 --> 00:12:10,500 The beauty of these things is that if the float starts moving 197 00:12:10,500 --> 00:12:13,140 up and down, then you know you've caught a shark, 198 00:12:13,140 --> 00:12:16,220 so we can actually get to that animal really quickly. 199 00:12:16,220 --> 00:12:19,380 So it's a very effective way and a safe way of fishing 200 00:12:19,380 --> 00:12:23,020 for these animals, because we can bring the shark to the side 201 00:12:23,020 --> 00:12:26,140 of the boat, work it up, measure it, place our camera tag 202 00:12:26,140 --> 00:12:27,980 in a short period of time. 203 00:12:27,980 --> 00:12:30,060 And within minutes, they're in luck. 204 00:12:30,060 --> 00:12:32,660 Oh, we've got something already. We've got a shark. 205 00:12:32,660 --> 00:12:35,340 Yeah, we've got something moving already. Look at that - 206 00:12:35,340 --> 00:12:37,940 five minutes and we've already got something hit a bait. 207 00:12:37,940 --> 00:12:41,580 This place is just littered with sharks. 208 00:12:41,580 --> 00:12:46,780 How much the float moves is an indication of how big the shark is. 209 00:12:46,780 --> 00:12:50,340 Look at the buoy, man. The buoy's getting pulled down. 210 00:12:50,340 --> 00:12:52,580 That is not small, that's towing that around. 211 00:12:52,580 --> 00:12:55,660 That is definitely not small! I'm saying bull. 212 00:12:55,660 --> 00:12:58,140 You're going bull? Yeah. I'm predicting... Look at that. 213 00:12:58,140 --> 00:12:59,420 I mean, if it is a bull... 214 00:12:59,420 --> 00:13:01,860 Look at that! Holy... Look at that! 215 00:13:04,540 --> 00:13:05,820 Oh, my God, dude! 216 00:13:05,820 --> 00:13:08,180 That is a three-metre tiger shark. 217 00:13:09,420 --> 00:13:10,740 OK! 218 00:13:10,740 --> 00:13:13,420 Tiger sharks are at the very top of the food chain. 219 00:13:13,420 --> 00:13:16,340 They'll even eat other sharks. 220 00:13:16,340 --> 00:13:20,540 But its own safety is top priority, so the team works carefully. 221 00:13:20,540 --> 00:13:22,620 OK, we got her, we got her. 222 00:13:22,620 --> 00:13:25,660 It's incredibly rare to catch this species, 223 00:13:25,660 --> 00:13:28,340 and Tristan wants to make the most of it. 224 00:13:28,340 --> 00:13:29,580 Like reef sharks, 225 00:13:29,580 --> 00:13:32,100 tiger sharks use coral habitats, 226 00:13:32,100 --> 00:13:35,420 but they explore other environments, too. 227 00:13:35,420 --> 00:13:40,100 So if we can attach a camera, we can analyse the wider ecosystem 228 00:13:40,100 --> 00:13:43,380 through the eyes of one of the world's greatest predators. 229 00:13:46,380 --> 00:13:49,380 Our onboard system has been designed with the anatomy 230 00:13:49,380 --> 00:13:51,260 of the shark in mind. 231 00:13:51,260 --> 00:13:55,340 It can operate down to 500 metres, film in HD, 232 00:13:55,340 --> 00:13:58,980 and even record depth and temperature. 233 00:14:00,340 --> 00:14:02,780 With everything safely attached, 234 00:14:02,780 --> 00:14:05,860 it's time for this incredible predator to capture 235 00:14:05,860 --> 00:14:07,460 its underwater world. 236 00:14:12,980 --> 00:14:15,220 Away she goes. Away she goes. 237 00:14:21,500 --> 00:14:22,580 Unbelievable. 238 00:14:22,580 --> 00:14:24,420 Wow. 239 00:14:24,420 --> 00:14:26,380 Good work. Unreal. How's your back? 240 00:14:26,380 --> 00:14:28,420 Totally fine, totally fine. 241 00:14:28,420 --> 00:14:30,660 I was not expecting that. 242 00:14:30,660 --> 00:14:34,340 This is becoming very interesting indeed. 243 00:14:34,340 --> 00:14:35,580 Wow. 244 00:14:38,780 --> 00:14:42,980 Five hours later, the camera automatically comes off, 245 00:14:42,980 --> 00:14:46,700 but finding it in the open ocean is a tricky task, 246 00:14:46,700 --> 00:14:49,740 so Tristan is relying on more technology. 247 00:14:51,780 --> 00:14:53,340 Another 20 seconds. 248 00:14:53,340 --> 00:14:56,540 The camera is equipped with a satellite beacon, 249 00:14:56,540 --> 00:15:00,540 which Tristan can detect on this hand-held device. 250 00:15:00,540 --> 00:15:04,940 That satellite tag is emitting its code every 90 seconds. 251 00:15:06,420 --> 00:15:10,220 And I'm getting a bearing on where it actually is. 252 00:15:10,220 --> 00:15:12,900 Another 15 seconds and we should be good. 253 00:15:12,900 --> 00:15:14,660 You can see the water is much clearer here, 254 00:15:14,660 --> 00:15:17,380 so hopefully the tiger shark got us some good... DEVICE BEEPS 255 00:15:17,380 --> 00:15:20,540 Oh. Oh, yeah, this way. Slightly this way. 256 00:15:20,540 --> 00:15:24,020 Tristan needs to find the tag quickly, before it gets swept out 257 00:15:24,020 --> 00:15:27,140 to rougher seas beyond the reef. 258 00:15:27,140 --> 00:15:28,420 You have a reef line here, 259 00:15:28,420 --> 00:15:31,420 basically it's all the way along the east side of the island, 260 00:15:31,420 --> 00:15:33,460 and then we have the tongue of the ocean, 261 00:15:33,460 --> 00:15:37,060 that just drops off to this, almost 3,000 metres in some 262 00:15:37,060 --> 00:15:38,940 of these sections here. 263 00:15:38,940 --> 00:15:42,420 And what I'm hoping is that this tiger shark made its way out 264 00:15:42,420 --> 00:15:45,060 onto the reef and cruised along that reef and maybe made some 265 00:15:45,060 --> 00:15:46,380 deep dives down, 266 00:15:46,380 --> 00:15:49,860 and we can see some of those deep-water habitats. 267 00:15:51,100 --> 00:15:53,020 Suddenly... Straight to the right. 268 00:15:53,020 --> 00:15:56,100 ..a flash of orange stands out against the blue. 269 00:15:56,100 --> 00:15:57,820 How did I know Grant would spot it? 270 00:16:00,380 --> 00:16:03,100 Camera still on it? Yeah. 271 00:16:04,700 --> 00:16:06,940 The LED is still on. 272 00:16:06,940 --> 00:16:08,940 Disco, disco! 273 00:16:11,700 --> 00:16:16,420 I'm very happy. Tag's intact, no evidence of rubbing or anything, 274 00:16:16,420 --> 00:16:19,260 the satellite tag worked perfectly. 275 00:16:19,260 --> 00:16:21,420 Let's hope there's some magic in here. 276 00:16:21,420 --> 00:16:23,620 It's going to be amazing to see what's on that, dude. 277 00:16:23,620 --> 00:16:26,100 It has been down to the bottom of the ocean. I know, I know! 278 00:16:26,100 --> 00:16:27,660 Very excited. 279 00:16:27,660 --> 00:16:29,500 It's a brilliant success. 280 00:16:30,740 --> 00:16:35,580 And back on dry land, Tristan and Grant take a look at the footage. 281 00:16:35,580 --> 00:16:37,220 She's moving quick. 282 00:16:37,220 --> 00:16:39,900 Oh, you see some little - what is that, little coral heads 283 00:16:39,900 --> 00:16:42,700 or sargassum that she's starting to pass through? 284 00:16:42,700 --> 00:16:45,420 There's the wall, there's the drop-off. Yeah. 285 00:16:45,420 --> 00:16:49,260 Is she going to go down it? She's just going off the edge. Yeah. 286 00:16:49,260 --> 00:16:51,860 So that's got to be the dropping of the tongue of the ocean. 287 00:16:51,860 --> 00:16:53,860 Yeah, exactly. 288 00:16:53,860 --> 00:16:56,580 She is going deeper and deeper and deeper. 289 00:16:56,580 --> 00:16:59,300 Look at how dark the water is getting. 290 00:16:59,300 --> 00:17:01,860 Look... Is that the bottom? Yeah, that's the bottom. 291 00:17:01,860 --> 00:17:04,620 From the depth gauge built into our camera, 292 00:17:04,620 --> 00:17:07,940 we know that the shark is 160 metres deep. 293 00:17:09,100 --> 00:17:12,340 That's more than five times deeper than the average scuba diver 294 00:17:12,340 --> 00:17:14,180 is allowed to go. 295 00:17:14,180 --> 00:17:16,820 One kind of amazing thing to consider is that she is 296 00:17:16,820 --> 00:17:19,620 potentially showing us parts of the ocean that no-one 297 00:17:19,620 --> 00:17:20,900 has seen before. 298 00:17:20,900 --> 00:17:22,740 She is getting so deep. 299 00:17:22,740 --> 00:17:28,020 This is not anywhere that a scuba diver would be exploring. Exactly. 300 00:17:28,020 --> 00:17:32,700 This footage has helped Tristan see what the shark sees, 301 00:17:32,700 --> 00:17:35,500 and he thinks it may have dived deep to search for the prey 302 00:17:35,500 --> 00:17:37,540 in the water above. 303 00:17:37,540 --> 00:17:38,980 To me, it makes sense. 304 00:17:38,980 --> 00:17:42,580 If you're a, you know, a fast-moving ambush kind of predator, 305 00:17:42,580 --> 00:17:46,500 you go along the bed like that, and then you can launch an attack 306 00:17:46,500 --> 00:17:48,940 without being detected. Right. 307 00:17:48,940 --> 00:17:52,940 The camera's in-built thermometer also shows it's five degrees colder 308 00:17:52,940 --> 00:17:55,660 down here than at the surface. 309 00:17:55,660 --> 00:18:00,420 My suspicion is that they're making these excursions onto the flats 310 00:18:00,420 --> 00:18:03,980 to hunt for turtles, stingrays, smaller coastal sharks, 311 00:18:03,980 --> 00:18:07,980 and then going back into the deeper water to recover. 312 00:18:07,980 --> 00:18:12,660 This cold, deep water helps the shark cool off after hunting 313 00:18:12,660 --> 00:18:15,340 in the warm, shallow sandflats, 314 00:18:15,340 --> 00:18:18,380 letting it stay in peak performance mode - 315 00:18:18,380 --> 00:18:22,180 critical for an apex predator like this. 316 00:18:22,180 --> 00:18:24,700 Hey! The tag is off. It fell off. 317 00:18:24,700 --> 00:18:27,820 Yeah, it popped off, we saw her tail. 318 00:18:27,820 --> 00:18:31,340 Well, that worked unbelievably well for the first effort 319 00:18:31,340 --> 00:18:33,220 on a big tiger shark. 320 00:18:33,220 --> 00:18:35,460 I totally agree. 321 00:18:35,460 --> 00:18:39,500 It's a promising start, but Tristan still needs to deploy the camera 322 00:18:39,500 --> 00:18:43,100 on one of the most important species in the ecosystem - 323 00:18:43,100 --> 00:18:45,340 Caribbean reef sharks. 324 00:18:45,340 --> 00:18:49,020 He hopes they'll take us close to the coral, letting us see 325 00:18:49,020 --> 00:18:51,900 how healthy the local reef is. 326 00:18:51,900 --> 00:18:54,740 So the team will try again another time. 327 00:19:01,860 --> 00:19:05,060 Back in the Atlantic Ocean on the island of Sal, 328 00:19:05,060 --> 00:19:08,300 our turtle cam has been deployed for 24 hours. 329 00:19:11,580 --> 00:19:15,220 Biologists Albert and Christophe need to find out if the loggerheads 330 00:19:15,220 --> 00:19:17,860 feed here during the nesting season. 331 00:19:20,460 --> 00:19:23,980 If we can film this behaviour, it will prove that this marine 332 00:19:23,980 --> 00:19:29,300 ecosystem is vital for the turtles and needs protecting. 333 00:19:29,300 --> 00:19:32,300 But first, we have to get the camera back. 334 00:19:33,740 --> 00:19:37,100 It's seven o'clock in the morning, we've just had a ping from the GPS 335 00:19:37,100 --> 00:19:39,380 on the turtle's camera, so it must have come off 336 00:19:39,380 --> 00:19:41,060 and floated up to the surface. 337 00:19:41,060 --> 00:19:44,100 We're heading out on a boat in the hope that we can find it. 338 00:19:44,100 --> 00:19:48,940 We can only get a satellite location every few hours, 339 00:19:48,940 --> 00:19:51,380 so it's a race to find the camera before the current 340 00:19:51,380 --> 00:19:52,820 carries it off course. 341 00:19:58,940 --> 00:20:02,500 To help us, we're also using a VHF radio antenna. 342 00:20:07,220 --> 00:20:09,700 But sometimes our own eyesight 343 00:20:09,700 --> 00:20:12,100 is better than the latest technology. 344 00:20:24,340 --> 00:20:27,140 THEY SHOUT 345 00:20:30,260 --> 00:20:34,460 I cannot believe that - our keen-eyed skipper spotted it. 346 00:20:43,580 --> 00:20:45,780 Amazing. 347 00:20:45,780 --> 00:20:47,420 Still largely intact. 348 00:20:50,300 --> 00:20:53,540 Quite something, that this has spent 24 hours on the back of 349 00:20:53,540 --> 00:20:56,820 a loggerhead turtle. 350 00:20:56,820 --> 00:21:00,420 But will our footage provide the insight that Albert and Christophe 351 00:21:00,420 --> 00:21:02,940 have been waiting for? 352 00:21:02,940 --> 00:21:05,820 Will it show her feeding in local waters? 353 00:21:07,260 --> 00:21:11,820 Time to take a look with Albert and Christophe back at the lab. 354 00:21:11,820 --> 00:21:14,540 So this really is the big moment. 355 00:21:14,540 --> 00:21:17,500 All of those long nights on the beach deploying these cameras, 356 00:21:17,500 --> 00:21:19,740 and we've got the footage here, that we're going to see 357 00:21:19,740 --> 00:21:21,140 for the first time. 358 00:21:21,140 --> 00:21:22,420 Tell me about it! 359 00:21:22,420 --> 00:21:25,060 Just press play. Let's go. OK, here we go. 360 00:21:31,220 --> 00:21:32,340 Nice. 361 00:21:35,620 --> 00:21:38,620 The view from the camera is crystal clear, 362 00:21:38,620 --> 00:21:43,500 and straight away, our turtle rewrites a common scientific theory. 363 00:21:43,500 --> 00:21:45,220 Female loggerheads 364 00:21:45,220 --> 00:21:48,980 were thought to be solitary during the nesting season. 365 00:21:48,980 --> 00:21:51,460 Oh, wow. Is that another turtle? It is. 366 00:21:51,460 --> 00:21:53,380 Oh, wow. It is another turtle. 367 00:21:54,500 --> 00:21:56,700 Oh, that's so cool. 368 00:21:56,700 --> 00:21:57,940 Look at that. 369 00:21:59,580 --> 00:22:01,580 Are they fighting? Are they playing? 370 00:22:04,100 --> 00:22:06,300 Oh, there's another one! 371 00:22:06,300 --> 00:22:08,300 Oh, my. 372 00:22:08,300 --> 00:22:09,780 So crazy. 373 00:22:17,460 --> 00:22:19,300 What is that? 374 00:22:19,300 --> 00:22:21,420 It's like a...a shipwreck? 375 00:22:21,420 --> 00:22:24,180 Oh, that's an anchor, actually. 376 00:22:24,180 --> 00:22:26,780 Well, that's cool. Actually, I know where this place is. 377 00:22:26,780 --> 00:22:29,460 That's so cool. 378 00:22:29,460 --> 00:22:32,700 She's made this sort of definite beeline for that anchor. 379 00:22:32,700 --> 00:22:36,500 I suppose it's a really prominent, prominent feature 380 00:22:36,500 --> 00:22:38,340 there in the bottom. 381 00:22:38,340 --> 00:22:40,220 Oh, my God. 382 00:22:40,220 --> 00:22:43,100 What's she doing? Is she feeding? She is. Wow, she is! 383 00:22:43,100 --> 00:22:45,260 She's feeding on the seaweed on the anchor. 384 00:22:48,700 --> 00:22:50,140 That's unbelievable. 385 00:22:53,820 --> 00:22:56,460 And one of the really, really interesting elements 386 00:22:56,460 --> 00:22:59,380 is that it's so soon after the nesting. 387 00:22:59,380 --> 00:23:02,060 I certainly did not expect that. 388 00:23:02,060 --> 00:23:06,060 It's the first time ever that we've seen this behaviour. 389 00:23:07,980 --> 00:23:11,780 Exquisite. This turtle is going to put me out of a job. 390 00:23:11,780 --> 00:23:15,580 Put every underwater cameraperson out of a job. 391 00:23:15,580 --> 00:23:18,380 This is the evidence we were looking for. 392 00:23:18,380 --> 00:23:21,620 It proves that these turtles DO feed during their 393 00:23:21,620 --> 00:23:23,460 five-month breeding season. 394 00:23:23,460 --> 00:23:27,740 So this marine ecosystem needs more protection - 395 00:23:27,740 --> 00:23:33,660 and that can't come soon enough, based on what she films next. 396 00:23:33,660 --> 00:23:36,860 Is that a mesh over there? It looks like a mesh, a net. 397 00:23:36,860 --> 00:23:38,700 Oh, man. 398 00:23:38,700 --> 00:23:41,940 That's a massive fishing net. 399 00:23:41,940 --> 00:23:42,940 That's awful. 400 00:23:47,860 --> 00:23:52,100 It does reveal one of the many dangers they are exposed to. 401 00:23:54,260 --> 00:23:55,980 Now she's biting the net, 402 00:23:55,980 --> 00:23:58,380 she's trying to feed through the net. 403 00:24:00,540 --> 00:24:03,980 Imagine if she manages to break this up 404 00:24:03,980 --> 00:24:06,100 and then swallows the parts. 405 00:24:08,540 --> 00:24:10,180 Who knows what's next, 406 00:24:10,180 --> 00:24:12,220 whether she chokes on it... 407 00:24:13,820 --> 00:24:17,660 This huge abandoned ghost net is a stark reminder of why 408 00:24:17,660 --> 00:24:20,780 these waters need safeguarding. 409 00:24:20,780 --> 00:24:24,380 Thankfully, our turtle swims off, and out into deeper water. 410 00:24:30,060 --> 00:24:35,780 And she feeds again, this time on a jelly-like sea squirt. 411 00:24:35,780 --> 00:24:37,780 I mean, this is sort of foraging, 412 00:24:37,780 --> 00:24:39,460 sort of constantly grazing 413 00:24:39,460 --> 00:24:41,620 that she's doing here. 414 00:24:41,620 --> 00:24:43,860 You can see, like, pieces floating around, 415 00:24:43,860 --> 00:24:46,540 so she's definitely feeding on that. 416 00:24:46,540 --> 00:24:48,580 Feeding in this way, 417 00:24:48,580 --> 00:24:51,980 is that enough sort of food for her in a day, 418 00:24:51,980 --> 00:24:55,460 if she's constantly just browsing her way through the ocean? 419 00:24:55,460 --> 00:24:56,900 I want to say no. 420 00:24:56,900 --> 00:25:02,300 As you know and you've seen, nesting is really, really energy consuming. 421 00:25:02,300 --> 00:25:07,300 So I believe that they top up their reserves right now. 422 00:25:07,300 --> 00:25:11,100 Dive and feed complete, she heads towards the surface for a breath. 423 00:25:13,380 --> 00:25:16,220 Oh, another turtle there. Another turtle. 424 00:25:16,220 --> 00:25:20,700 It's got a big barnacle on it. Yeah. That's an old one. 425 00:25:20,700 --> 00:25:24,740 Look how much stuff she has on the shell. 426 00:25:24,740 --> 00:25:27,780 She's biting her. She's biting the carapace. 427 00:25:27,780 --> 00:25:32,500 I'm pretty sure that our loggerhead is chewing off the seaweed 428 00:25:32,500 --> 00:25:36,100 and probably the barnacle off the other loggerhead. 429 00:25:38,980 --> 00:25:43,420 It's amazing to see so much life growing on that turtle, 430 00:25:43,420 --> 00:25:45,620 but also following the turtle around, 431 00:25:45,620 --> 00:25:47,060 this sort of moving ecosystem. 432 00:25:47,060 --> 00:25:48,740 Totally. 433 00:25:48,740 --> 00:25:51,100 And when you actually protect a turtle, 434 00:25:51,100 --> 00:25:53,180 you also protect all the ecosystem 435 00:25:53,180 --> 00:25:56,180 around them - the fish, the entire habitat. 436 00:25:59,500 --> 00:26:02,140 You see, if we did not have the camera, 437 00:26:02,140 --> 00:26:04,580 but only a tagging device, like a GPS system, 438 00:26:04,580 --> 00:26:07,820 we would never know that that turtle spent 439 00:26:07,820 --> 00:26:13,060 so much time at the surface with another turtle. Yeah. 440 00:26:13,060 --> 00:26:15,580 This behaviour is very rare to see. 441 00:26:15,580 --> 00:26:18,820 I mean, again, it's the first time, and I'm a professional diver, 442 00:26:18,820 --> 00:26:21,940 I dive quite a lot here, and I've never seen that. 443 00:26:23,860 --> 00:26:26,900 So does this, in some way, rewrite the science books 444 00:26:26,900 --> 00:26:29,300 on what we know about these animals? 445 00:26:29,300 --> 00:26:31,180 It certainly rewrites my knowledge. 446 00:26:31,180 --> 00:26:33,860 The only way to see these sort of behaviours 447 00:26:33,860 --> 00:26:35,860 is through these cameras. 448 00:26:37,660 --> 00:26:41,340 From what we've learnt from this turtle, can that be used 449 00:26:41,340 --> 00:26:44,580 to help protect different turtle populations around the world? 450 00:26:44,580 --> 00:26:48,660 During this footage, these behaviours, and it's beautiful, 451 00:26:48,660 --> 00:26:52,300 like, it will help people understand why we need to protect them, 452 00:26:52,300 --> 00:26:54,540 why we need to stop polluting our oceans, 453 00:26:54,540 --> 00:26:56,620 why we need to stop overfishing. 454 00:26:58,180 --> 00:27:02,620 The Cabo Verde aggregation is probably the second largest 455 00:27:02,620 --> 00:27:04,300 aggregation in the world. 456 00:27:04,300 --> 00:27:06,860 If we lose this aggregation, the entire species 457 00:27:06,860 --> 00:27:10,020 is in true danger of extinction. 458 00:27:10,020 --> 00:27:11,860 When we started this adventure, like, 459 00:27:11,860 --> 00:27:14,220 putting the cameras on the turtles, 460 00:27:14,220 --> 00:27:18,060 there was no way we were expecting to see so much. 461 00:27:20,540 --> 00:27:22,980 Our turtle's footage brings new insight 462 00:27:22,980 --> 00:27:25,380 into the loggerheads' hidden world... 463 00:27:27,220 --> 00:27:31,060 ..revealing that they're more social than we ever imagined, 464 00:27:31,060 --> 00:27:34,300 and that they DO feed during the nesting season. 465 00:27:34,300 --> 00:27:37,100 A world first for science, 466 00:27:37,100 --> 00:27:39,820 and it's the proof that Albert and Christophe needed 467 00:27:39,820 --> 00:27:43,060 to push for greater protection of these vital waters. 468 00:27:45,940 --> 00:27:49,780 And I hope it safeguards the future of this beautiful species 469 00:27:49,780 --> 00:27:52,780 on Cape Verde for many years to come. 470 00:28:00,740 --> 00:28:04,420 It's not only animals that live beneath the waves that have a hidden 471 00:28:04,420 --> 00:28:05,980 side to their lives. 472 00:28:07,100 --> 00:28:11,020 I'm about to meet some animals who will take our cameras on land, 473 00:28:11,020 --> 00:28:14,740 in water and up in the air to solve some mysteries. 474 00:28:19,020 --> 00:28:20,020 Gannets. 475 00:28:22,420 --> 00:28:26,140 They're one of the most aerobatic sea birds in the world. 476 00:28:26,140 --> 00:28:29,380 Renowned for their spectacular high dives, 477 00:28:29,380 --> 00:28:31,300 they can drop like an arrow 478 00:28:31,300 --> 00:28:35,260 from over 30 metres up and strike the water 479 00:28:35,260 --> 00:28:37,900 at 80km per hour. 480 00:28:37,900 --> 00:28:41,940 These feathered torpedoes can plunge 20 metres underwater, 481 00:28:41,940 --> 00:28:44,580 where they can pick off their meal. 482 00:28:46,460 --> 00:28:49,900 To protect themselves during these legendary stunts, they're equipped 483 00:28:49,900 --> 00:28:53,580 with extremely strong neck muscles and a spongy plate of bone 484 00:28:53,580 --> 00:28:57,140 at the front of their skull to cushion the impact. 485 00:28:59,900 --> 00:29:02,860 They are famous for their incredible hunting skills, 486 00:29:02,860 --> 00:29:06,980 but how do they find small shoals of fish hidden underwater 487 00:29:06,980 --> 00:29:10,220 in the wide-open ocean? 488 00:29:10,220 --> 00:29:12,660 I can stand on a gannet colony like this, 489 00:29:12,660 --> 00:29:16,860 and with a big, long lens, get quite intimate views, 490 00:29:16,860 --> 00:29:20,180 but that's just half the story, really. 491 00:29:20,180 --> 00:29:24,420 Given that gannets can fly up to 250 miles away from their nest, 492 00:29:24,420 --> 00:29:28,180 it would be impossible for me to follow an individual to find out 493 00:29:28,180 --> 00:29:31,460 exactly what it's doing that far away. 494 00:29:31,460 --> 00:29:35,140 So this is a job for our mini-camera technology. 495 00:29:35,140 --> 00:29:41,060 I would say that we are pretty much guaranteed to get some dramatic 496 00:29:41,060 --> 00:29:43,700 footage from an onboard camera. 497 00:29:43,700 --> 00:29:47,180 And when they're not flying around dramatic clifftop colonies 498 00:29:47,180 --> 00:29:51,020 like this, they are soaring over or plunging into the ocean. 499 00:29:52,660 --> 00:29:56,300 In Ireland, Dr Mark Jessopp is trying to unravel some 500 00:29:56,300 --> 00:29:57,980 of the gannet's mysteries. 501 00:29:59,180 --> 00:30:02,220 For a number of years, we've been able to put GPS tracking devices 502 00:30:02,220 --> 00:30:05,180 on birds, and that effectively tells us where animals are going 503 00:30:05,180 --> 00:30:07,660 when they're out at sea, and where they go to forage. 504 00:30:07,660 --> 00:30:10,340 But we're still not sure how they forage or what the cues are 505 00:30:10,340 --> 00:30:13,900 that they might use to say, "There's food here." 506 00:30:13,900 --> 00:30:18,020 In 60 years, sea bird populations in general, including puffins, 507 00:30:18,020 --> 00:30:21,060 have declined by 70% - 508 00:30:21,060 --> 00:30:22,700 but not gannets. 509 00:30:22,700 --> 00:30:24,540 They are thriving. 510 00:30:26,580 --> 00:30:30,660 Mark wants to use our cameras to see how gannets find their food, 511 00:30:30,660 --> 00:30:35,540 because he thinks that's what makes them so successful. 512 00:30:35,540 --> 00:30:38,220 Gannets are a really fascinating species. You know, they're one 513 00:30:38,220 --> 00:30:41,420 of those species that have bucked the trend of global sea bird 514 00:30:41,420 --> 00:30:44,900 declines, and gannets tend to be increasing in populations. 515 00:30:44,900 --> 00:30:47,300 So we really want to understand how and why they're doing it. 516 00:30:47,300 --> 00:30:49,820 One of the theories is that they're getting supplemental food 517 00:30:49,820 --> 00:30:51,820 from humans through fisheries discards. 518 00:30:51,820 --> 00:30:55,060 Ideally, I'd love to see something like fishing vessels, 519 00:30:55,060 --> 00:30:57,060 perhaps other animals. 520 00:30:57,060 --> 00:31:00,300 You know, pie in the sky, maybe we'll see some dolphins 521 00:31:00,300 --> 00:31:02,980 and feeding associations with dolphins. 522 00:31:02,980 --> 00:31:06,020 You know, the sky's the limit here, really. 523 00:31:06,020 --> 00:31:09,460 If Mark can discover how gannets find their food, 524 00:31:09,460 --> 00:31:14,380 he can work out how to help other sea birds that are in decline. 525 00:31:14,380 --> 00:31:17,580 So we need a camera that's waterproof and lightweight, 526 00:31:17,580 --> 00:31:20,940 yet strong enough to withstand a big impact. 527 00:31:22,340 --> 00:31:25,900 It's one of the hardest challenges we've ever faced. 528 00:31:25,900 --> 00:31:29,100 Tackling the task is tech wizard Chris Watts. 529 00:31:29,100 --> 00:31:31,580 He's built cutting-edge cameras 530 00:31:31,580 --> 00:31:34,540 for an incredible variety of animals. 531 00:31:34,540 --> 00:31:39,300 And he's spent three months developing a bespoke gannet camera. 532 00:31:39,300 --> 00:31:41,180 So this has been our solution. 533 00:31:41,180 --> 00:31:42,740 It can record in HD. 534 00:31:42,740 --> 00:31:44,260 It can do slow motion. 535 00:31:44,260 --> 00:31:47,900 We've also fitted it with the widest-angle lens we can, 536 00:31:47,900 --> 00:31:53,100 and we're hoping that we can get it on the back of the bird, 537 00:31:53,100 --> 00:31:54,340 sort of base of the tail, 538 00:31:54,340 --> 00:31:57,060 which means that we're just not going to miss any action. 539 00:31:57,060 --> 00:31:58,420 It's coming in at... 540 00:32:00,380 --> 00:32:05,100 ..60g, which is pretty much perfect. 541 00:32:05,100 --> 00:32:07,740 That's 2% of the gannet's body weight - 542 00:32:07,740 --> 00:32:10,180 easily light enough for them to fly with, 543 00:32:10,180 --> 00:32:13,740 and the battery should last for almost two hours. 544 00:32:13,740 --> 00:32:17,300 Packing this much technology into such a small space 545 00:32:17,300 --> 00:32:19,740 is an incredible achievement. 546 00:32:19,740 --> 00:32:24,420 But can it deal with the impact of hitting the water at high speed? 547 00:32:25,620 --> 00:32:28,460 When gannets strike the surface of the sea, 548 00:32:28,460 --> 00:32:32,540 they experience almost 9G as they decelerate, 549 00:32:32,540 --> 00:32:35,260 which is more than most fighter pilots can contend with. 550 00:32:37,260 --> 00:32:40,460 To see if our camera can withstand such high forces, 551 00:32:40,460 --> 00:32:44,900 Chris is going to some extreme measures to put them to the test. 552 00:32:49,620 --> 00:32:52,660 Today, this is the moment of truth, really. If it's not waterproof 553 00:32:52,660 --> 00:32:55,260 and it can't take the impact of hitting the water, 554 00:32:55,260 --> 00:32:56,980 then it's all for nothing. 555 00:32:56,980 --> 00:33:02,580 To simulate a gannet's dive, Chris is strapping the camera to an arrow, 556 00:33:02,580 --> 00:33:04,620 ready to be fired out to sea. 557 00:33:06,660 --> 00:33:09,260 So there we have it - the camera arrow. 558 00:33:12,140 --> 00:33:15,500 It seems a slightly crazy way of testing a camera, 559 00:33:15,500 --> 00:33:18,620 but I can't think of a better way. 560 00:33:35,100 --> 00:33:38,140 A fishing reel brings it back to shore for inspection. 561 00:33:47,460 --> 00:33:50,100 So, does it look like it's survived? 562 00:33:51,780 --> 00:33:53,940 There's nothing in the front. Nope. So... 563 00:33:53,940 --> 00:33:55,660 Yeah, good. 564 00:33:55,660 --> 00:33:57,460 A triumph. 565 00:33:57,460 --> 00:34:01,780 Even after repeated trials, the camera remains intact. 566 00:34:01,780 --> 00:34:04,260 Now it's time for the real thing. 567 00:34:08,860 --> 00:34:12,860 5km out in the Irish Sea, Mark and his team are heading 568 00:34:12,860 --> 00:34:15,740 to the remote Saltee Islands - 569 00:34:15,740 --> 00:34:18,500 home to over 7,000 breeding gannets. 570 00:34:21,900 --> 00:34:26,420 The onboard camera will only record for two hours, so the team needs 571 00:34:26,420 --> 00:34:29,380 to recruit a gannet that's just about to go fishing. 572 00:34:31,980 --> 00:34:34,620 Birds can sit here at the nest for three or four days, 573 00:34:34,620 --> 00:34:38,060 and the batteries will only last so long, and so we want to make sure 574 00:34:38,060 --> 00:34:41,060 we're getting a bird just as it's about to leave. 575 00:34:41,060 --> 00:34:42,940 The parents work in shifts - 576 00:34:42,940 --> 00:34:46,140 while one guards the chick, the other goes foraging 577 00:34:46,140 --> 00:34:48,020 for up to four days. 578 00:34:48,020 --> 00:34:49,500 They then swap over, 579 00:34:49,500 --> 00:34:52,300 and that's the moment Mark is looking for. 580 00:34:52,300 --> 00:34:54,420 We just had one come in, Mark. 581 00:34:54,420 --> 00:34:56,740 The one on the left has just fed the chick. 582 00:34:56,740 --> 00:34:59,340 So we want the one on the right? Yes. OK, let's get him. Excellent. 583 00:35:01,460 --> 00:35:04,420 Mark's research project means he has special permission 584 00:35:04,420 --> 00:35:06,020 to catch these adults. 585 00:35:09,540 --> 00:35:11,020 Ready? Yep. 586 00:35:20,260 --> 00:35:22,540 The chick is safe with the other parent, 587 00:35:22,540 --> 00:35:24,340 and when our bird is bagged, 588 00:35:24,340 --> 00:35:28,420 it relaxes and Mark can do a few essential health checks. 589 00:35:28,420 --> 00:35:30,780 That's three kilos exactly. 590 00:35:32,660 --> 00:35:36,340 This one is in top condition - a perfect candidate 591 00:35:36,340 --> 00:35:38,580 for carrying our camera. 592 00:35:38,580 --> 00:35:41,940 So we attach it to the central tail feathers, and that means 593 00:35:41,940 --> 00:35:44,300 that it's far enough away from where the head goes hitting 594 00:35:44,300 --> 00:35:45,900 into the water at high speeds, 595 00:35:45,900 --> 00:35:47,860 so that the tags don't sort of get ripped off 596 00:35:47,860 --> 00:35:50,980 by that hydrodynamic drag. 597 00:35:50,980 --> 00:35:54,980 This tape should hold the camera in place, but it's soft enough 598 00:35:54,980 --> 00:35:58,060 that the bird could rip it off if it's not comfortable, 599 00:35:58,060 --> 00:36:02,940 which means there's a very real risk these cameras won't come 600 00:36:02,940 --> 00:36:03,940 back at all. 601 00:36:05,820 --> 00:36:08,540 You have it? Yep. GANNET SQUAWKS 602 00:36:08,540 --> 00:36:11,500 With everything in place, it's time for this bird 603 00:36:11,500 --> 00:36:13,900 to reveal its secret life at sea. 604 00:36:19,180 --> 00:36:21,180 Flying away quite nice and strong. 605 00:36:21,180 --> 00:36:22,700 Seems to be very happy, 606 00:36:22,700 --> 00:36:26,300 going off hopefully on a nice foraging trip for us as well. 607 00:36:26,300 --> 00:36:29,020 Shall we go get another? I think we should. 608 00:36:29,020 --> 00:36:30,820 Everything is switched on. 609 00:36:49,820 --> 00:36:54,340 And after just 24 hours, the first member of our feathered film crew 610 00:36:54,340 --> 00:36:56,580 returns with our camera intact. 611 00:37:00,060 --> 00:37:02,660 Over the chick and around the bird. Go! 612 00:37:09,820 --> 00:37:12,260 Really looking forward to seeing what's on the camera. 613 00:37:12,260 --> 00:37:16,100 We have no idea. It's had a very successful foraging trip, I think. 614 00:37:16,100 --> 00:37:17,900 He feels very heavy. 615 00:37:17,900 --> 00:37:19,980 Oh, you fatty! 616 00:37:19,980 --> 00:37:24,060 This gannet has put on 400g since it was caught yesterday. 617 00:37:24,060 --> 00:37:26,860 So Mark knows it's been fishing. 618 00:37:26,860 --> 00:37:30,340 We just hope that the camera was running at the right time. 619 00:37:30,340 --> 00:37:33,100 I'd love to know what prompted that dive. 620 00:37:33,100 --> 00:37:34,380 What did it see that says, 621 00:37:34,380 --> 00:37:38,140 "This is where I need to dive to successfully get food"? 622 00:37:38,140 --> 00:37:40,420 The bird is given a careful health check 623 00:37:40,420 --> 00:37:43,300 and released back into the wild. 624 00:37:48,420 --> 00:37:51,580 Then the team can take a look at the first batch of footage. 625 00:37:53,260 --> 00:37:54,660 Oh, look at that! 626 00:37:54,660 --> 00:37:57,940 Wow, that's so cool! 627 00:37:57,940 --> 00:38:00,180 Oh, that's just beautiful. 628 00:38:00,180 --> 00:38:02,700 It's very close to the surface of the water, isn't it? 629 00:38:02,700 --> 00:38:05,460 Isn't it? Much, much closer to the water than I expected. 630 00:38:05,460 --> 00:38:08,140 It's not travelling very high. 631 00:38:08,140 --> 00:38:10,740 But it's great for people who have been doing a lot of work 632 00:38:10,740 --> 00:38:13,260 looking at things like gannets' vulnerability to wind farms, 633 00:38:13,260 --> 00:38:15,220 and obviously when they're flying that low, 634 00:38:15,220 --> 00:38:18,340 they're well outside of the sweep area of any turbine. 635 00:38:18,340 --> 00:38:21,940 So you would say that there'd be very little risk of collision. 636 00:38:21,940 --> 00:38:26,380 I'm really impressed with the quality of the capture. 637 00:38:26,380 --> 00:38:29,620 The video was really good as well, and really detailed. 638 00:38:29,620 --> 00:38:31,860 Like, you can see excellent detail. 639 00:38:31,860 --> 00:38:35,100 Even the shape of the wing as it flaps. 640 00:38:35,100 --> 00:38:37,940 Oh, hang on. Back it up, back it up. Back it up. 641 00:38:37,940 --> 00:38:39,580 There we go. 642 00:38:39,580 --> 00:38:42,420 And to their delight, the team have captured some 643 00:38:42,420 --> 00:38:44,620 diving behaviour. 644 00:38:44,620 --> 00:38:47,900 Oh, plunge dives. Oh! Wow! 645 00:38:47,900 --> 00:38:51,420 My goodness me! That is lovely. 646 00:38:51,420 --> 00:38:54,260 I have always wanted to see that. All right. 647 00:38:54,260 --> 00:38:56,860 Yeah, the trip was worth it for that one alone. Yeah. 648 00:38:56,860 --> 00:38:58,620 Can we see that again? There we go. 649 00:38:58,620 --> 00:39:01,620 But look at that beautiful bank into the dive. 650 00:39:01,620 --> 00:39:05,860 You can see the other... It's going to the left. 651 00:39:05,860 --> 00:39:08,620 It's just such powerful...wingbeats. 652 00:39:08,620 --> 00:39:10,540 Such a great angle. 653 00:39:11,940 --> 00:39:14,620 Oh, look at that! Straight down. 654 00:39:14,620 --> 00:39:15,580 Straight down. 655 00:39:17,140 --> 00:39:19,660 There's so much amazing footage there. 656 00:39:20,980 --> 00:39:22,860 It's a brilliant start. 657 00:39:22,860 --> 00:39:25,100 But because the action happens so fast, 658 00:39:25,100 --> 00:39:28,940 it's hard to see how the gannets are finding their food. 659 00:39:28,940 --> 00:39:31,980 So the team sets out to get more onboard footage, 660 00:39:31,980 --> 00:39:36,060 but this time the cameras are set to record in slow motion. 661 00:39:36,060 --> 00:39:40,820 So this time we should see precisely how they're finding the fish. 662 00:39:44,780 --> 00:39:48,460 In total, seven gannets take our cameras out to sea 663 00:39:48,460 --> 00:39:52,300 and return them safely back to the colony. 664 00:39:52,300 --> 00:39:56,300 And after carefully analysing the footage, Mark can see exactly 665 00:39:56,300 --> 00:39:59,780 how the gannets are finding their food. 666 00:40:01,700 --> 00:40:04,300 So we're looking at one of my favourite sequences here, 667 00:40:04,300 --> 00:40:07,420 it's one where all of a sudden we start seeing common dolphins 668 00:40:07,420 --> 00:40:08,780 up at the surface, 669 00:40:08,780 --> 00:40:11,580 and within seconds the gannets are going straight towards 670 00:40:11,580 --> 00:40:12,780 those dolphins and diving. 671 00:40:14,940 --> 00:40:16,940 It's really exciting to see them, 672 00:40:16,940 --> 00:40:19,140 and I never thought we'd get footage 673 00:40:19,140 --> 00:40:21,660 that was of a resolution that we could identify the species. 674 00:40:21,660 --> 00:40:24,420 You know, they're quite clearly common dolphins. 675 00:40:24,420 --> 00:40:27,020 Underwater, the camera's in-built microphone 676 00:40:27,020 --> 00:40:29,860 has even recorded their calls. 677 00:40:29,860 --> 00:40:31,700 DOLPHIN CALLS 678 00:40:35,580 --> 00:40:37,540 Mark believes the birds are using the dolphins 679 00:40:37,540 --> 00:40:39,180 to help find their food. 680 00:40:42,060 --> 00:40:44,860 And he's found evidence that they're following other 681 00:40:44,860 --> 00:40:46,940 marine animals, too. 682 00:40:46,940 --> 00:40:49,940 We had to go through essentially frame by frame here to see this, 683 00:40:49,940 --> 00:40:53,860 but you can quite clearly see two whales, at least whale blows. 684 00:40:53,860 --> 00:40:57,700 And we see that the gannet is immediately turning towards those, 685 00:40:57,700 --> 00:41:01,980 and easily within 15 to 16 seconds, that gannet is now diving 686 00:41:01,980 --> 00:41:05,260 right where those whales were at the surface. 687 00:41:05,260 --> 00:41:07,940 So it's indicating that those gannets are perhaps 688 00:41:07,940 --> 00:41:09,780 using the whales themselves there 689 00:41:09,780 --> 00:41:13,020 as a visual cue to say, "This is where other predators are, 690 00:41:13,020 --> 00:41:15,580 "therefore, this is probably where there's food." 691 00:41:15,580 --> 00:41:19,060 Fantastic to see these odd bits of behaviour that we would 692 00:41:19,060 --> 00:41:20,780 have ordinarily missed. 693 00:41:23,300 --> 00:41:27,060 The footage shows that gannets are using other species to effectively 694 00:41:27,060 --> 00:41:31,460 find small patches of food in a large, open habitat. 695 00:41:31,460 --> 00:41:35,660 And this has big implications for how we can serve them. 696 00:41:35,660 --> 00:41:37,460 If we want to preserve gannets, 697 00:41:37,460 --> 00:41:40,420 we need to preserve the visual cues that they're using, which means 698 00:41:40,420 --> 00:41:42,220 protecting our dolphin populations, 699 00:41:42,220 --> 00:41:44,540 it means protecting our whale populations. 700 00:41:44,540 --> 00:41:46,700 All of these populations are interconnected. 701 00:41:46,700 --> 00:41:49,300 So we need to take an ecosystems approach 702 00:41:49,300 --> 00:41:51,660 to our conservation objectives. 703 00:41:51,660 --> 00:41:54,380 In general, sea bird populations are declining, 704 00:41:54,380 --> 00:41:58,060 partly because of a drop in fish stocks. 705 00:41:58,060 --> 00:42:00,660 But gannets don't seem to be affected - 706 00:42:00,660 --> 00:42:03,420 and our footage shows why. 707 00:42:03,420 --> 00:42:05,940 So there's this wonderful sequence where we can see just out 708 00:42:05,940 --> 00:42:07,980 on the horizon a fishing vessel. 709 00:42:07,980 --> 00:42:11,100 And the gannet pretty much instantly starts to orient 710 00:42:11,100 --> 00:42:13,900 towards and fly towards that fishing vessel. 711 00:42:13,900 --> 00:42:16,700 Must be at least 100 other gannets around the fishing vessel here, 712 00:42:16,700 --> 00:42:20,220 which might indicate that gannets have learnt to use fishing vessels 713 00:42:20,220 --> 00:42:22,700 as a foraging cue, or as a cue that, 714 00:42:22,700 --> 00:42:25,100 "There is food to be had here." 715 00:42:25,100 --> 00:42:28,860 Importantly, there are very few other sea bird species capitalising 716 00:42:28,860 --> 00:42:30,540 on this free meal. 717 00:42:30,540 --> 00:42:32,980 It's almost exclusively gannets around here, and they're 718 00:42:32,980 --> 00:42:34,620 quite an aggressive species. 719 00:42:34,620 --> 00:42:37,220 So they're managing to successfully outcompete other sea birds 720 00:42:37,220 --> 00:42:39,860 for that fisheries resource. 721 00:42:39,860 --> 00:42:43,740 By exploiting fishing vessels, they get access to a steady supply 722 00:42:43,740 --> 00:42:46,740 of food, even when their prey is in decline. 723 00:42:49,500 --> 00:42:53,140 The onboard cameras have been a success. 724 00:42:53,140 --> 00:42:56,580 They've shown us how these birds use other animals and even fishermen 725 00:42:56,580 --> 00:42:59,140 to find their next meal. 726 00:43:07,060 --> 00:43:11,780 Back in the Bahamas, shark scientist Dr Tristan Guttridge is trying 727 00:43:11,780 --> 00:43:15,420 to deploy our cameras on some Caribbean reef sharks. 728 00:43:17,540 --> 00:43:21,660 They can swim further and faster than a diver, so they can show us 729 00:43:21,660 --> 00:43:26,420 how healthy this ecosystem is - and their survival depends on it. 730 00:43:27,820 --> 00:43:31,060 This Caribbean reef shark, one of the most abundant species 731 00:43:31,060 --> 00:43:35,300 here in the Bahamas and really one of the most important, 732 00:43:35,300 --> 00:43:40,660 both ecologically, for their role within the coral reef system, 733 00:43:40,660 --> 00:43:42,860 and then also economically as well - 734 00:43:42,860 --> 00:43:45,500 a huge number of people from all over the world 735 00:43:45,500 --> 00:43:48,740 will come here to dive with reef sharks. 736 00:43:50,340 --> 00:43:52,940 And it doesn't take long to find one. 737 00:43:55,420 --> 00:43:59,300 Oh, boy. Perfect size once again. 738 00:43:59,300 --> 00:44:02,380 Every shark that Tristan catches is measured and tagged 739 00:44:02,380 --> 00:44:06,420 as part of his long-term study to understand the abundance 740 00:44:06,420 --> 00:44:08,580 and distribution of sharks in the area. 741 00:44:08,580 --> 00:44:11,100 And 189. 742 00:44:11,100 --> 00:44:14,340 Nice big male reef shark. 743 00:44:14,340 --> 00:44:17,140 Right, and let's put the tag on. 744 00:44:17,140 --> 00:44:21,740 This is basically a microchip tag that has a unique number. 745 00:44:21,740 --> 00:44:25,740 And you put it in the muscle next to the dorsal fin. 746 00:44:25,740 --> 00:44:29,860 And the idea... It's literally the size of a grain of rice. 747 00:44:29,860 --> 00:44:32,420 And it would be what you would put in your dog. 748 00:44:32,420 --> 00:44:34,460 And every time you pass a reader over it, 749 00:44:34,460 --> 00:44:36,780 it activates and tells you that number. 750 00:44:36,780 --> 00:44:38,900 So we're able to actually ID this animal, 751 00:44:38,900 --> 00:44:41,140 hopefully for the rest of its life. 752 00:44:41,140 --> 00:44:44,340 We try and be as gentle as we can, we're also trying to do this 753 00:44:44,340 --> 00:44:46,940 as quickly as possible, so that we can get that shark 754 00:44:46,940 --> 00:44:48,580 off and swimming. 755 00:44:48,580 --> 00:44:51,860 The microchip provides important basic information, 756 00:44:51,860 --> 00:44:55,980 while the camera gives us a shark's-eye view of their world. 757 00:44:57,460 --> 00:45:00,620 The camera mount has soft pads on the inside of the clamp, 758 00:45:00,620 --> 00:45:02,700 which gently hold it in place. 759 00:45:04,300 --> 00:45:05,500 OK, we ready? Hang on. 760 00:45:06,940 --> 00:45:07,940 Yeah. 761 00:45:26,660 --> 00:45:30,540 Over the next few days, Tristan and Grant manage to deploy four 762 00:45:30,540 --> 00:45:33,580 more shark cameras along different sections of the reef 763 00:45:33,580 --> 00:45:36,340 to help get a good overview of the area. 764 00:45:37,540 --> 00:45:38,620 Perfect. 765 00:45:40,260 --> 00:45:43,340 All right, I think we're ready to release. 766 00:45:43,340 --> 00:45:44,940 Wow. 767 00:45:44,940 --> 00:45:49,020 Mature, about 1.7 metres long. 768 00:45:49,020 --> 00:45:51,620 Hopefully it'll share some secrets with us 769 00:45:51,620 --> 00:45:53,540 about the health of this system. 770 00:45:53,540 --> 00:45:54,860 And it swam off great. 771 00:45:54,860 --> 00:45:57,220 We didn't have it alongside the boat very long. 772 00:45:57,220 --> 00:45:59,260 I'm really excited. Awesome. 773 00:45:59,260 --> 00:46:01,180 Well done, everyone. 774 00:46:01,180 --> 00:46:04,020 Each camera will record vital information about the health 775 00:46:04,020 --> 00:46:05,900 of this ecosystem. 776 00:46:05,900 --> 00:46:08,820 So it's critical Tristan and the team find them again. 777 00:46:11,140 --> 00:46:16,620 Crossing my fingers that we get five hours of beautiful reef footage 778 00:46:16,620 --> 00:46:19,780 from this Caribbean reef shark. 779 00:46:19,780 --> 00:46:21,900 BEEPING 780 00:46:21,900 --> 00:46:22,940 There it is! 781 00:46:24,380 --> 00:46:27,340 Ha-ha! Yes! 782 00:46:27,340 --> 00:46:29,620 Getting too good at this. 783 00:46:30,820 --> 00:46:33,260 Like, 12:30, one o'clock. 784 00:46:33,260 --> 00:46:35,100 Yes! 785 00:46:35,100 --> 00:46:36,700 Fantastic. 786 00:46:39,860 --> 00:46:44,860 In total, the sharks have captured almost 25 hours of onboard footage, 787 00:46:44,860 --> 00:46:47,580 giving us a much more detailed look at their world 788 00:46:47,580 --> 00:46:49,700 than any diver could achieve. 789 00:46:52,380 --> 00:46:53,620 This is pretty cool. 790 00:46:53,620 --> 00:46:56,020 Look at that, look at that. Oh, big barracuda. 791 00:46:57,860 --> 00:47:01,060 I love being able to see what they are seeing. 792 00:47:03,300 --> 00:47:06,620 But what the sharks have filmed is worrying. 793 00:47:06,620 --> 00:47:10,300 There's a lot, a lot, a lot of algae overgrowth on some of these 794 00:47:10,300 --> 00:47:12,340 reef patches that he's passed through. 795 00:47:12,340 --> 00:47:14,420 You can see some signs of improvement. 796 00:47:14,420 --> 00:47:17,580 There's certain hard corals growing, but a lot 797 00:47:17,580 --> 00:47:20,220 of algae overgrowth in some of these areas. 798 00:47:20,220 --> 00:47:22,860 Too much algae can reduce the oxygen levels 799 00:47:22,860 --> 00:47:24,620 and block the sunlight, 800 00:47:24,620 --> 00:47:27,780 killing the coral, which then has a negative effect 801 00:47:27,780 --> 00:47:32,780 on everything in the food chain, from wrasse to reef sharks. 802 00:47:34,060 --> 00:47:35,660 There's a lot of fishermen here. 803 00:47:35,660 --> 00:47:38,460 So they could be putting a lot of pressure on some of those reef 804 00:47:38,460 --> 00:47:43,660 fishes that would be normally eating the algae and then maintaining 805 00:47:43,660 --> 00:47:45,420 the health of the system. 806 00:47:45,420 --> 00:47:48,060 You've got, obviously, pollution as well. 807 00:47:48,060 --> 00:47:50,820 And then on top of that, global warming. 808 00:47:50,820 --> 00:47:54,420 Overfishing, pollution and climate change 809 00:47:54,420 --> 00:47:57,980 could all contribute to this thick algae. 810 00:47:57,980 --> 00:48:01,540 They're global issues, and will only get better if we continue 811 00:48:01,540 --> 00:48:05,100 to reduce our impact on the natural world. 812 00:48:05,100 --> 00:48:08,100 The cameras have provided a great insight into the health 813 00:48:08,100 --> 00:48:10,980 of some of the most remote corners of this reef. 814 00:48:10,980 --> 00:48:15,100 But they've also revealed some surprising shark behaviour. 815 00:48:16,900 --> 00:48:19,340 This is cool. Look at that, a tight little tunnel. 816 00:48:19,340 --> 00:48:22,180 Don't tell me it's going to go through there. 817 00:48:22,180 --> 00:48:25,580 Wow! That's amazing. Right underneath the cave. 818 00:48:25,580 --> 00:48:27,660 It's really amazing. Through the archway. 819 00:48:27,660 --> 00:48:31,500 I mean, I don't know about you, but I've never really seen 820 00:48:31,500 --> 00:48:34,620 one swimming this deep into the reef, like, 821 00:48:34,620 --> 00:48:37,020 down these little gullies. 822 00:48:37,020 --> 00:48:39,980 It makes you wonder if he's looking for food. 823 00:48:39,980 --> 00:48:41,860 That could be a strategy, I guess - 824 00:48:41,860 --> 00:48:46,100 stay close to the floor, search around the reef structure, 825 00:48:46,100 --> 00:48:48,780 and basically ambush a reef fish. 826 00:48:48,780 --> 00:48:52,780 It can't be easy hunting reef fish on the reef. 827 00:48:52,780 --> 00:48:55,020 There are so many hiding places. 828 00:48:55,020 --> 00:48:57,300 Reef sharks can sniff out prey or 829 00:48:57,300 --> 00:49:00,900 use special electroreceptors to detect the heartbeat 830 00:49:00,900 --> 00:49:02,380 of their next meal. 831 00:49:02,380 --> 00:49:06,740 But it's hard to catch a fish before it escapes into the reef. 832 00:49:06,740 --> 00:49:09,700 So by weaving through the coral, there's a chance this shark 833 00:49:09,700 --> 00:49:12,860 can sneak up on its next victim. 834 00:49:12,860 --> 00:49:16,700 It might also keep them hidden from bigger predators, like tiger sharks, 835 00:49:16,700 --> 00:49:20,940 who, as we know, patrol this area. 836 00:49:20,940 --> 00:49:25,140 Seeing this behaviour is something that only our cameras could reveal. 837 00:49:25,140 --> 00:49:28,980 As soon as a diver enters the water, the sharks behave differently, 838 00:49:28,980 --> 00:49:31,220 and there's no way a human could keep up with them 839 00:49:31,220 --> 00:49:34,060 through these tight coral corridors. 840 00:49:34,060 --> 00:49:35,420 Oh, oh. 841 00:49:35,420 --> 00:49:37,460 That's where the tag came off. 842 00:49:40,580 --> 00:49:42,980 No matter how much scuba diving you do, 843 00:49:42,980 --> 00:49:44,540 you're never going to be able 844 00:49:44,540 --> 00:49:47,260 to spend that much time with a shark. Exactly. 845 00:49:47,260 --> 00:49:48,780 And that's the big difference. 846 00:49:48,780 --> 00:49:51,860 That's the thing that these tags do for us, is we get five hours 847 00:49:51,860 --> 00:49:55,140 of uninterrupted footage of where these animals 848 00:49:55,140 --> 00:49:57,340 are going and how they're using their habitats. 849 00:49:57,340 --> 00:50:01,420 The cameras have been a success, showing us that these sharks 850 00:50:01,420 --> 00:50:06,660 can hunt among the coral in ways Tristan had never seen before. 851 00:50:06,660 --> 00:50:10,420 And the footage proves that this reef needs further protection 852 00:50:10,420 --> 00:50:15,340 from the global impact of mankind if it's to remain a shark Mecca. 853 00:50:18,780 --> 00:50:22,420 Our oceans support some truly gigantic animals, 854 00:50:22,420 --> 00:50:26,180 and our next mission is on the coast of California, 855 00:50:26,180 --> 00:50:27,540 in Ano Nuevo State Park, 856 00:50:27,540 --> 00:50:30,460 where giants come ashore to breed. 857 00:50:33,460 --> 00:50:36,500 These are northern elephant seals. 858 00:50:36,500 --> 00:50:39,500 The bulls can reach four metres long 859 00:50:39,500 --> 00:50:41,900 and weigh over 2.5 tonnes. 860 00:50:41,900 --> 00:50:44,540 They battle to become beach master. 861 00:50:49,820 --> 00:50:51,940 Despite their blubbery appearance, 862 00:50:51,940 --> 00:50:55,100 these animals are extreme athletes. 863 00:50:56,580 --> 00:51:02,020 They swim 9,000 kilometres a year and can dive 1.5km deep, 864 00:51:02,020 --> 00:51:05,700 drop their heart rate to just three beats per minute, 865 00:51:05,700 --> 00:51:08,500 and can hold their breath for two hours. 866 00:51:13,460 --> 00:51:17,180 Every winter, this area becomes a huge creche, 867 00:51:17,180 --> 00:51:19,100 filled with over 2,000 females, 868 00:51:19,100 --> 00:51:22,820 each giving birth to a single precious pup. 869 00:51:25,540 --> 00:51:29,780 But after just four weeks, the mums head out to sea 870 00:51:29,780 --> 00:51:32,060 and abandon their young forever. 871 00:51:35,340 --> 00:51:39,820 Scientists Roxanne Beltran and Patrick Robinson know a huge amount 872 00:51:39,820 --> 00:51:41,460 about the lives of the adults, 873 00:51:41,460 --> 00:51:44,620 but very little is understood about the pups, 874 00:51:44,620 --> 00:51:47,220 and they want to find out more. 875 00:51:47,220 --> 00:51:50,340 The moms actually leave before the pups ever go 876 00:51:50,340 --> 00:51:51,540 into the water. 877 00:51:51,540 --> 00:51:54,980 So these juveniles, when they become independent from their moms, 878 00:51:54,980 --> 00:51:58,380 are trying to figure out how to be seals. 879 00:51:58,380 --> 00:52:00,820 They live off their fat reserves from their mother's milk 880 00:52:00,820 --> 00:52:02,580 for the next two months, 881 00:52:02,580 --> 00:52:05,100 before they head out to sea and fend for themselves. 882 00:52:07,020 --> 00:52:09,540 During this time, they train for adult life, 883 00:52:09,540 --> 00:52:12,100 much of which is done underwater, 884 00:52:12,100 --> 00:52:15,860 where they can swim faster and further than we can, 885 00:52:15,860 --> 00:52:17,380 making it hard to study them. 886 00:52:17,380 --> 00:52:18,820 When they're in the water, 887 00:52:18,820 --> 00:52:20,660 as soon as they dip below the surface, 888 00:52:20,660 --> 00:52:22,660 we can't actually see what they're doing. 889 00:52:22,660 --> 00:52:25,740 And so there's been this huge gap in our knowledge of what these seals 890 00:52:25,740 --> 00:52:27,580 are actually doing in the two months 891 00:52:27,580 --> 00:52:30,780 before they leave for that trip to sea. 892 00:52:30,780 --> 00:52:35,180 With any luck, our onboard cameras will show what these pups are doing 893 00:52:35,180 --> 00:52:38,300 to prepare themselves for adult life. 894 00:52:41,780 --> 00:52:45,980 Roxanne and Patrick find four young seals to carry the cameras. 895 00:52:45,980 --> 00:52:48,700 Although the pups are only a few weeks old, 896 00:52:48,700 --> 00:52:51,700 they're already enormous. 897 00:52:51,700 --> 00:52:54,740 They put on 90 kilos in their first month, 898 00:52:54,740 --> 00:52:58,980 fuelled by milk which is 55% fat - 899 00:52:58,980 --> 00:53:01,220 that's more than double cream. 900 00:53:03,500 --> 00:53:07,260 After a few health checks, our specially designed onboard cameras 901 00:53:07,260 --> 00:53:10,220 are attached with a temporary nontoxic glue. 902 00:53:10,220 --> 00:53:13,020 During the procedure we're monitoring everything 903 00:53:13,020 --> 00:53:15,060 from heart rate to respiration rate, 904 00:53:15,060 --> 00:53:18,540 we're making sure that everything is going appropriately with the seal. 905 00:53:18,540 --> 00:53:21,780 I've spent the past 15 years studying the adult animals, 906 00:53:21,780 --> 00:53:25,180 and we know so much about what the adult females do 907 00:53:25,180 --> 00:53:26,660 when they're out at sea, 908 00:53:26,660 --> 00:53:29,660 and we don't know very much about what the young ones are doing 909 00:53:29,660 --> 00:53:31,540 right here next to the colony. 910 00:53:31,540 --> 00:53:34,580 So this is an amazing opportunity for us. 911 00:53:34,580 --> 00:53:36,580 The cameras will record for 16 hours, 912 00:53:36,580 --> 00:53:38,620 and have been designed to withstand 913 00:53:38,620 --> 00:53:41,180 the crushing pressure of deep water. 914 00:53:44,900 --> 00:53:46,380 Once they've returned safely, 915 00:53:46,380 --> 00:53:50,020 Roxanne and Patrick are able to analyse the footage. 916 00:53:50,020 --> 00:53:51,180 Oh, wow. 917 00:53:54,260 --> 00:53:55,780 What is she doing? 918 00:53:57,540 --> 00:53:59,940 They're more graceful than I thought, like, 919 00:53:59,940 --> 00:54:02,380 just based on how they are on land. 920 00:54:02,380 --> 00:54:05,220 Swimming with the seals gives Roxanne and Patrick 921 00:54:05,220 --> 00:54:07,660 an entirely new perspective. 922 00:54:07,660 --> 00:54:11,380 And the footage provides a real revelation about how social 923 00:54:11,380 --> 00:54:13,420 the pups are. 924 00:54:13,420 --> 00:54:16,140 I'm surprised by how active and interactive they are. 925 00:54:16,140 --> 00:54:19,460 Yeah, I think when adult elephant seals go out to sea, 926 00:54:19,460 --> 00:54:21,100 they don't interact at all, right? 927 00:54:21,100 --> 00:54:22,740 That's what we think, at least! 928 00:54:22,740 --> 00:54:24,700 Yeah, I don't think there's any evidence for that. 929 00:54:24,700 --> 00:54:26,380 They're completely solitary at sea. 930 00:54:26,380 --> 00:54:29,820 So the fact that these guys are interacting in the water is weird. 931 00:54:31,420 --> 00:54:33,780 I wonder if they're just learning from each other. 932 00:54:33,780 --> 00:54:36,140 I guess, because they get no parental instruction... 933 00:54:36,140 --> 00:54:39,540 That's right. ..this is helpful for them in their development. 934 00:54:39,540 --> 00:54:44,220 In all of the footage, the pups only ever swim in shallow water. 935 00:54:44,220 --> 00:54:46,060 Roxanne and Patrick think that's 936 00:54:46,060 --> 00:54:49,300 because they're too fat to dive deep. 937 00:54:49,300 --> 00:54:51,340 Despite being so heavy, 938 00:54:51,340 --> 00:54:54,260 all of their blubber makes them really buoyant. 939 00:54:54,260 --> 00:54:57,340 Without doing anything, she automatically floats to the surface. 940 00:54:57,340 --> 00:55:00,340 I think that's why she's working really hard to stay down to explore 941 00:55:00,340 --> 00:55:01,540 the bottom of the ocean, 942 00:55:01,540 --> 00:55:03,900 and maybe why she's interacting with other seals. 943 00:55:03,900 --> 00:55:06,580 I don't know if they're sort of helping pin each other down 944 00:55:06,580 --> 00:55:07,820 or what they're doing. 945 00:55:07,820 --> 00:55:10,180 They need the fat in order to survive a long period of time 946 00:55:10,180 --> 00:55:12,060 while they're learning how to forage. Yeah. 947 00:55:12,060 --> 00:55:15,060 But it's actually bad for them because if they're too buoyant 948 00:55:15,060 --> 00:55:16,740 it's difficult to forage. 949 00:55:16,740 --> 00:55:18,660 So... It's a trade-off. 950 00:55:18,660 --> 00:55:20,380 It's a trade-off. Yeah. Yeah. 951 00:55:20,380 --> 00:55:22,260 Swimming around these shallows, 952 00:55:22,260 --> 00:55:25,580 the pups seem to investigate anything they come across - 953 00:55:25,580 --> 00:55:27,980 even bits of rubbish. 954 00:55:27,980 --> 00:55:29,340 A plastic bag. Plastic? 955 00:55:30,580 --> 00:55:34,020 It's unlikely to mistake this plastic bag for food, 956 00:55:34,020 --> 00:55:37,060 but they have been known to get tangled up in waste. 957 00:55:37,060 --> 00:55:40,260 And this playfulness could explain how that happens. 958 00:55:42,540 --> 00:55:45,620 The cameras also reveal that these mischievous pups 959 00:55:45,620 --> 00:55:48,580 often chase the local fish. 960 00:55:48,580 --> 00:55:52,820 They're not catching them, but it's all good practice. 961 00:55:52,820 --> 00:55:55,740 And it's not just the fish they're toying with. 962 00:55:55,740 --> 00:55:59,060 Surprisingly, they spend a lot of time playing with seaweed. 963 00:56:00,620 --> 00:56:02,060 What is she doing? 964 00:56:02,060 --> 00:56:05,100 Did she grab it? Yeah. Yeah. 965 00:56:05,100 --> 00:56:06,900 She's dragging it around! 966 00:56:08,820 --> 00:56:10,420 What?! 967 00:56:10,420 --> 00:56:13,980 Playful practice is important in the development 968 00:56:13,980 --> 00:56:15,500 of many young animals. 969 00:56:15,500 --> 00:56:20,300 For these seals, it may help build those important diving skills 970 00:56:20,300 --> 00:56:22,340 which later they'll rely on. 971 00:56:27,900 --> 00:56:30,900 After their in-water training, it looks like they come out 972 00:56:30,900 --> 00:56:32,500 for a rest on the beach, 973 00:56:32,500 --> 00:56:35,380 but the scientists have a very different theory. 974 00:56:35,380 --> 00:56:39,780 It's hard to see to the untrained eye, but the seals seem to be 975 00:56:39,780 --> 00:56:41,820 holding their breath. 976 00:56:41,820 --> 00:56:44,180 It doesn't look like they're doing much here, but I think 977 00:56:44,180 --> 00:56:46,300 what they're actually doing is figuring out 978 00:56:46,300 --> 00:56:47,940 how to become breath-hold divers, 979 00:56:47,940 --> 00:56:50,380 so that they can find food during their first trip to sea. 980 00:56:50,380 --> 00:56:53,180 Like, developing their physiology. Yeah, exactly. 981 00:56:53,180 --> 00:56:55,260 I mean, you can see that seal is holding its breath, 982 00:56:55,260 --> 00:56:57,460 and will probably hold its breath for a long time. 983 00:56:57,460 --> 00:57:00,220 I wonder, just like we would train for a marathon by doing 984 00:57:00,220 --> 00:57:02,300 little runs, they're doing little breath holds 985 00:57:02,300 --> 00:57:06,540 to basically figure out how they can get down to food on breath hold. 986 00:57:06,540 --> 00:57:09,740 This seal holds its breath for almost 12 minutes. 987 00:57:10,700 --> 00:57:15,140 So it's got some practice to do before it can manage two hours, 988 00:57:15,140 --> 00:57:17,020 like the adults. 989 00:57:17,020 --> 00:57:20,260 By filming themselves, these pups have shown us 990 00:57:20,260 --> 00:57:22,660 how they prepare for life at sea. 991 00:57:24,100 --> 00:57:27,260 After being left alone without a mother, they seem to train 992 00:57:27,260 --> 00:57:29,220 together, trying to hunt, 993 00:57:29,220 --> 00:57:34,180 exploring their environment and practising to hold their breath - 994 00:57:34,180 --> 00:57:38,300 key skills that will make them elite ocean divers. 995 00:57:42,700 --> 00:57:45,220 Next time, we travel down under 996 00:57:45,220 --> 00:57:50,100 to solve the mysteries of some iconic Australian animals. 997 00:57:50,100 --> 00:57:53,060 We discover the surprising nightlife of koalas... 998 00:57:53,060 --> 00:57:55,820 Oh, wow. Look at that. 999 00:57:55,820 --> 00:57:59,620 ..reveal how kangaroos are affected by urbanisation... 1000 00:57:59,620 --> 00:58:01,460 We have to make a decision - 1001 00:58:01,460 --> 00:58:04,140 do we want to live alongside kangaroos? 1002 00:58:04,140 --> 00:58:07,220 ..and we create our most advanced camera yet 1003 00:58:07,220 --> 00:58:10,620 to find out what's drawing thousands of flying foxes 1004 00:58:10,620 --> 00:58:13,540 to a new life in the city. 1005 00:58:13,540 --> 00:58:15,460 Ha-ha! He's going over the road. 1006 00:58:48,500 --> 00:58:52,540 As a cameraman, I've filmed wildlife all over the planet, 1007 00:58:52,540 --> 00:58:55,380 but there are limits to where I can go. 1008 00:58:55,380 --> 00:58:58,540 She's returning to the place that I can't follow her. 1009 00:58:59,860 --> 00:59:04,140 So in this series, it's the animals that are doing the filming, 1010 00:59:04,140 --> 00:59:08,180 to reveal the secret side of their lives we've never seen before. 1011 00:59:08,180 --> 00:59:09,580 Oh, that's so cool! 1012 00:59:09,580 --> 00:59:11,220 That is lovely! 1013 00:59:12,460 --> 00:59:15,100 Over the years, we've designed pioneering mini cameras 1014 00:59:15,100 --> 00:59:17,300 for a huge range of animals. 1015 00:59:17,300 --> 00:59:19,140 It's like a job interview. 1016 00:59:19,140 --> 00:59:21,940 Everything is made to measure. 1017 00:59:21,940 --> 00:59:25,460 Just figuring out what her new bit of bling is. 1018 00:59:26,460 --> 00:59:28,300 And we've teamed up with scientists 1019 00:59:28,300 --> 00:59:31,180 who want to see the world from an animal's perspective. 1020 00:59:31,180 --> 00:59:33,740 To learn about the challenges they face, 1021 00:59:33,740 --> 00:59:36,260 and help protect them in the future. 1022 00:59:36,260 --> 00:59:38,060 She is potentially showing us 1023 00:59:38,060 --> 00:59:40,860 parts of the ocean that no-one has seen before. 1024 00:59:40,860 --> 00:59:42,540 GULL CRIES 1025 00:59:42,540 --> 00:59:47,020 Our unconventional film crew reveals surprising behaviour. 1026 00:59:47,020 --> 00:59:48,820 Oh, there's another one! 1027 00:59:48,820 --> 00:59:51,620 And help us help them. 1028 00:59:51,620 --> 00:59:54,420 Woohoo! Couldn't be happier than that. 1029 00:59:55,540 --> 00:59:59,060 In this special episode, we head to Australia, 1030 00:59:59,060 --> 01:00:01,420 where our cameras will answer scientists' questions 1031 01:00:01,420 --> 01:00:04,020 about some of the most unique animals on the planet. 1032 01:00:06,060 --> 01:00:07,900 Are koalas' evening activities 1033 01:00:07,900 --> 01:00:11,620 at odds with their dozy daytime reputation? 1034 01:00:12,780 --> 01:00:17,100 Can kangaroos survive on the edge of urban expansion? 1035 01:00:17,100 --> 01:00:22,780 And what has drawn 20,000 bats to life in a new city? 1036 01:00:22,780 --> 01:00:25,300 This is their world, 1037 01:00:25,300 --> 01:00:27,020 their footage, 1038 01:00:27,020 --> 01:00:29,380 and their story. 1039 01:00:40,060 --> 01:00:42,140 On Australia's east coast... 1040 01:00:43,620 --> 01:00:46,020 ..high in the towering trees of Queensland, 1041 01:00:46,020 --> 01:00:49,060 is one of the country's most iconic species. 1042 01:00:50,740 --> 01:00:53,460 Best known for their love of eucalyptus leaves 1043 01:00:53,460 --> 01:00:55,420 and dozing through the heat of the day. 1044 01:00:59,340 --> 01:01:00,900 The koala. 1045 01:01:02,340 --> 01:01:06,380 With specialised claws for gripping tree trunks up to 30 metres up... 1046 01:01:09,100 --> 01:01:11,220 ..and an excellent sense of smell 1047 01:01:11,220 --> 01:01:13,340 for seeking out the freshest gum leaves, 1048 01:01:13,340 --> 01:01:17,860 these marsupials are superbly adapted to their environment. 1049 01:01:20,020 --> 01:01:22,860 With speckled bottoms to help with camouflage, 1050 01:01:22,860 --> 01:01:25,100 these specially toughened rumps 1051 01:01:25,100 --> 01:01:28,940 enable koalas to wedge themselves comfortably in tree forks, 1052 01:01:28,940 --> 01:01:32,540 where they can sleep for up to 20 hours a day. 1053 01:01:35,020 --> 01:01:39,420 Their tree-hugging posture is more than an affectionate arboreal embrace, too. 1054 01:01:40,540 --> 01:01:43,180 Tree trunks can be as much as five degrees cooler 1055 01:01:43,180 --> 01:01:45,900 than the surrounding air temperature. 1056 01:01:45,900 --> 01:01:49,660 Which, in this region, can reach a punishing 40 degrees Celsius 1057 01:01:49,660 --> 01:01:51,100 in the height of summer. 1058 01:01:53,740 --> 01:01:56,380 Tree hugging is a means to keep cool, 1059 01:01:56,380 --> 01:01:59,220 as well as look effortlessly chilled. 1060 01:02:00,820 --> 01:02:04,260 This one may look blissfully happy nestled in a tree, 1061 01:02:04,260 --> 01:02:06,700 but koalas are in trouble. 1062 01:02:10,220 --> 01:02:13,060 The open forest and bushland they call home 1063 01:02:13,060 --> 01:02:14,860 is rapidly disappearing. 1064 01:02:17,300 --> 01:02:19,100 Lost to agriculture, 1065 01:02:19,100 --> 01:02:21,340 urban development 1066 01:02:21,340 --> 01:02:23,580 and ever-increasing bushfires. 1067 01:02:23,580 --> 01:02:25,020 FLAMES ROAR 1068 01:02:28,180 --> 01:02:33,420 There are now fewer than 35,000 left in this corner of Queensland. 1069 01:02:34,580 --> 01:02:39,220 And each year, over 2,000 homeless koalas are taken into care. 1070 01:02:41,700 --> 01:02:44,940 While much is known about koalas' daytime habits, 1071 01:02:44,940 --> 01:02:47,460 what they do at night is still a mystery. 1072 01:02:49,820 --> 01:02:52,020 This information, however, could be crucial 1073 01:02:52,020 --> 01:02:54,460 to help conserve their population in the future. 1074 01:02:59,300 --> 01:03:01,580 This is Hidden Vale, 1075 01:03:01,580 --> 01:03:04,060 a 12,500-acre private property 1076 01:03:04,060 --> 01:03:07,020 where the land and koala population are protected. 1077 01:03:09,860 --> 01:03:11,740 It could be a candidate location 1078 01:03:11,740 --> 01:03:14,060 to release koalas who have lost their homes. 1079 01:03:16,820 --> 01:03:19,460 But first, it's vital to know how much space 1080 01:03:19,460 --> 01:03:22,700 the ones that already live here need to avoid overcrowding. 1081 01:03:25,940 --> 01:03:27,820 Andrew Tribe and Carmen Butler 1082 01:03:27,820 --> 01:03:29,980 have been tracking the resident population here 1083 01:03:29,980 --> 01:03:32,460 for the past two and a half years. 1084 01:03:34,900 --> 01:03:37,660 We have, we estimate, about 60 koalas. 1085 01:03:37,660 --> 01:03:41,140 But at the moment, we're tracking about 20 of those. 1086 01:03:42,900 --> 01:03:45,740 All our koalas, of course, are named, 1087 01:03:45,740 --> 01:03:49,100 and we've found that they each have their own personality. 1088 01:03:49,100 --> 01:03:52,180 Miriam, Dave and Karen 1089 01:03:52,180 --> 01:03:55,580 are just a few of the characters that call Hidden Vale home. 1090 01:03:57,340 --> 01:04:01,180 Using lightweight GPS collars and VHF ear tags, 1091 01:04:01,180 --> 01:04:03,300 Andrew is able to monitor their movements. 1092 01:04:05,180 --> 01:04:09,060 Every 12 hours, we get a reading of where each koala is. 1093 01:04:09,060 --> 01:04:12,700 Which means we know where it's been, how far it's travelled. 1094 01:04:12,700 --> 01:04:16,140 We also physically go out and track them. 1095 01:04:16,140 --> 01:04:20,220 We've been able to establish how big their home ranges are, 1096 01:04:20,220 --> 01:04:23,860 where they like to go, with whom they like to interact, 1097 01:04:23,860 --> 01:04:28,340 although we still don't know about their behaviour at night. 1098 01:04:28,340 --> 01:04:31,180 So, what do they get up to in the dark? 1099 01:04:31,180 --> 01:04:34,940 Although Andrew's GPS collars track the koalas' movements, 1100 01:04:34,940 --> 01:04:38,380 he can't see what the animals are actually doing. 1101 01:04:38,380 --> 01:04:42,580 To find out, he needs onboard cameras. 1102 01:04:42,580 --> 01:04:46,420 We know they sit in trees and we know they eat leaves and that sort of thing, 1103 01:04:46,420 --> 01:04:49,260 but what I'd like to find out is a bit more detail about that. 1104 01:04:49,260 --> 01:04:52,100 How much time do they spend eating? How far do they move? 1105 01:04:52,100 --> 01:04:54,300 How far do they move in the one tree? 1106 01:04:55,540 --> 01:05:00,420 Footage of this behaviour could really help Andrew's ongoing tracking studies. 1107 01:05:00,420 --> 01:05:05,260 And, crucially, identify whether any rescued koalas could be introduced here. 1108 01:05:07,340 --> 01:05:12,180 For our koala camera build, it's time to call in designer Chris Watts. 1109 01:05:14,420 --> 01:05:17,100 An expert in bespoke camera technology, 1110 01:05:17,100 --> 01:05:20,900 Chris has made cameras for animals of every shape and size. 1111 01:05:23,180 --> 01:05:25,940 The koalas currently wear a collar like this, 1112 01:05:25,940 --> 01:05:27,900 with a GPS unit on top. 1113 01:05:27,900 --> 01:05:30,620 And it has a counterweight underneath, which keeps the aerial 1114 01:05:30,620 --> 01:05:33,060 pointing upwards, which is really good for signal. 1115 01:05:33,060 --> 01:05:34,820 We're going to take this weight away, 1116 01:05:34,820 --> 01:05:36,980 and that's where we're going to put our camera. 1117 01:05:36,980 --> 01:05:39,420 And it's kind of fixed on a hinge, 1118 01:05:39,420 --> 01:05:42,060 which means that when the koala is upright, 1119 01:05:42,060 --> 01:05:45,140 it can hang against the body. And that's really good, because 1120 01:05:45,140 --> 01:05:47,820 we don't want a camera sticking out cos they hug the trees. 1121 01:05:49,980 --> 01:05:52,420 With the cameras built and ready to deploy, 1122 01:05:52,420 --> 01:05:54,980 it's time to recruit our koala camera unit. 1123 01:06:00,100 --> 01:06:01,980 The koalas at Hidden Vale are 1124 01:06:01,980 --> 01:06:04,180 captured regularly for health checks. 1125 01:06:07,900 --> 01:06:12,580 On the catch list this week are koalas Robyn, Tom and Hunter. 1126 01:06:16,620 --> 01:06:19,220 Andrew's team use a technique called flagging, 1127 01:06:19,220 --> 01:06:21,460 to encourage the koalas down from the gum tree, 1128 01:06:21,460 --> 01:06:24,460 and capture them with a minimum of stress. 1129 01:06:27,380 --> 01:06:28,940 Get ready, mate, get ready. 1130 01:06:33,260 --> 01:06:34,660 Stay still, stay still. 1131 01:06:36,860 --> 01:06:38,100 OK. Well done. 1132 01:06:44,940 --> 01:06:48,900 Safely in their crates, our koalas make the short trip back to the vet centre 1133 01:06:48,900 --> 01:06:52,740 for a health assessment, and to be fitted with our cameras. 1134 01:06:55,340 --> 01:06:56,740 Hunter is first. 1135 01:06:57,820 --> 01:07:00,860 He's lightly anaesthetised and checked over by the veterinary team. 1136 01:07:00,860 --> 01:07:03,300 0.2 earlier. Yes, he's still growing. 1137 01:07:06,940 --> 01:07:10,620 He is approximately three and a half years old. 1138 01:07:10,620 --> 01:07:13,340 And he's in really nice body condition. 1139 01:07:15,500 --> 01:07:17,540 All checked over, Chris gets to work 1140 01:07:17,540 --> 01:07:20,340 attaching the camera to Hunter's collar. 1141 01:07:20,340 --> 01:07:22,180 DEVICE BEEPS 1142 01:07:24,460 --> 01:07:26,860 The camera looks like it's fitting really nicely. 1143 01:07:26,860 --> 01:07:29,660 And the thing that I wasn't able to test until now 1144 01:07:29,660 --> 01:07:31,500 is to see how that hinge is working 1145 01:07:31,500 --> 01:07:33,780 and see how it sits against the chest. 1146 01:07:33,780 --> 01:07:36,580 And it looks like it's spot on, so that's really good. 1147 01:07:38,660 --> 01:07:41,700 After a few hours' recovery, Hunter is ready to be released 1148 01:07:41,700 --> 01:07:44,700 back into the tree where he was found. 1149 01:07:47,740 --> 01:07:49,300 He's ready already. 1150 01:07:49,300 --> 01:07:51,260 He's definitely seen it, hasn't he? 1151 01:07:53,860 --> 01:07:56,300 And if we just stay really still and really quiet... 1152 01:08:01,620 --> 01:08:04,220 That was a pretty calm release. Yeah. He's a really good boy. 1153 01:08:04,220 --> 01:08:07,060 He's, um...he's pretty calm. 1154 01:08:07,060 --> 01:08:09,900 But although reunited with his tree, 1155 01:08:09,900 --> 01:08:13,140 Hunter soon decides he'd prefer a different one. 1156 01:08:15,700 --> 01:08:21,940 An interesting insight into how fast koalas can move if they want to. 1157 01:08:21,940 --> 01:08:25,180 So although we released Hunter from the tree in which he was found, 1158 01:08:25,180 --> 01:08:28,780 he came down and ran across and found this tree, just over here. 1159 01:08:32,820 --> 01:08:37,100 And as Hunter settles into his new tree, unhindered by his camera, 1160 01:08:37,100 --> 01:08:40,220 Robyn and Tom are also returned to the tree tops. 1161 01:08:44,460 --> 01:08:48,740 So now, the big test will be, what shots do we get? 1162 01:08:50,380 --> 01:08:54,620 And - what do these shots tell us about their night-time movements? 1163 01:09:01,540 --> 01:09:04,100 After a night of recording, 1164 01:09:04,100 --> 01:09:06,980 at first light, Chris, Andrew and Carmen 1165 01:09:06,980 --> 01:09:09,580 are keen to retrieve the cameras. 1166 01:09:09,580 --> 01:09:12,900 Armed with the koalas' GPS coordinates, 1167 01:09:12,900 --> 01:09:15,940 it's not long before they track down Tom. 1168 01:09:15,940 --> 01:09:19,540 Well, he's in a good position, not too high. 1169 01:09:19,540 --> 01:09:22,420 But it's not all plain sailing. 1170 01:09:22,420 --> 01:09:25,460 If we drop that camera, it's quite hard, cos he's in a fork, 1171 01:09:25,460 --> 01:09:27,980 knowing which side that's going to drop. Yes. 1172 01:09:27,980 --> 01:09:32,220 So we might have to maybe all stand each side and trigger it. 1173 01:09:32,220 --> 01:09:35,340 So whichever way it falls, we got a chance of hopefully softening the fall. 1174 01:09:35,340 --> 01:09:37,460 Yes, a slip's catch. Yeah. 1175 01:09:37,460 --> 01:09:41,100 With everyone poised for a catch, it's time for the release. 1176 01:09:41,100 --> 01:09:44,500 So three, two, one, releasing. 1177 01:09:45,980 --> 01:09:48,260 And the camera drops. 1178 01:09:48,260 --> 01:09:49,980 THEY LAUGH 1179 01:09:51,100 --> 01:09:53,220 Well, it's worked! That was a little bit far. 1180 01:09:53,220 --> 01:09:56,580 And he's...he's now moved higher, so that's all right, 1181 01:09:56,580 --> 01:09:59,300 but he's otherwise undisturbed. OK, that's great. 1182 01:10:01,740 --> 01:10:04,300 Next on the retrieval list is Hunter, 1183 01:10:04,300 --> 01:10:07,740 who's snoozing through the heat of the day in an ironbark tree. 1184 01:10:08,980 --> 01:10:11,900 I'm really excited about this one. Hunter is the big male, isn't he? 1185 01:10:11,900 --> 01:10:14,420 He is, yes. 7.1 kilos. 1186 01:10:14,420 --> 01:10:18,140 But he's quite high, so I'm thinking maybe we use the tarp on this one. 1187 01:10:18,140 --> 01:10:20,900 Don't want it to land on our heads. THEY CHUCKLE 1188 01:10:20,900 --> 01:10:23,780 Oblivious to the plans being made below, 1189 01:10:23,780 --> 01:10:26,140 Hunter remains fast asleep. 1190 01:10:27,580 --> 01:10:30,060 Firmly hugging his camera to the tree trunk. 1191 01:10:31,740 --> 01:10:35,700 Tarp at the ready, Andrew releases Hunter's camera. 1192 01:10:35,700 --> 01:10:37,180 Sending. 1193 01:10:37,180 --> 01:10:39,340 But nothing happens. 1194 01:10:40,460 --> 01:10:43,460 Does it say released? It said, "sending, released". 1195 01:10:43,460 --> 01:10:46,860 Hunter, it seems, is asleep on the job. 1196 01:10:46,860 --> 01:10:48,380 THEY LAUGH I think... 1197 01:10:48,380 --> 01:10:51,620 I think, yeah, I think, Hunter, we need you to move. 1198 01:10:51,620 --> 01:10:53,500 Come on. 1199 01:10:53,500 --> 01:10:56,660 Eventually, Hunter obliges. 1200 01:10:56,660 --> 01:10:59,340 Oh, he's moving! Here we go! 1201 01:10:59,340 --> 01:11:00,660 Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! 1202 01:11:00,660 --> 01:11:03,420 And this time, the team have more luck with the catch. 1203 01:11:03,420 --> 01:11:05,660 Good reaction. Better than last time! Yeah. Amazing! 1204 01:11:05,660 --> 01:11:07,540 While Hunter looks on bemused, 1205 01:11:07,540 --> 01:11:10,260 the team head off to find Robyn and the final camera. 1206 01:11:12,900 --> 01:11:16,020 And it turns out our smallest koala 1207 01:11:16,020 --> 01:11:19,060 has given the team their biggest challenge. 1208 01:11:19,060 --> 01:11:21,580 She's actually really, really high. Yes, she is. 1209 01:11:22,980 --> 01:11:25,540 What do we reckon - like, 20 metres? 1210 01:11:25,540 --> 01:11:27,380 I'm a bit worried about being underneath. 1211 01:11:27,380 --> 01:11:30,020 Cos if it hit one branch, it could ping off and hit us. 1212 01:11:30,020 --> 01:11:32,340 Yeah, there are lots of branches between us and her. 1213 01:11:32,340 --> 01:11:34,860 We're quite lucky, though, we've got quite long grass, 1214 01:11:34,860 --> 01:11:36,540 so maybe that will cushion the fall. 1215 01:11:40,940 --> 01:11:44,260 Three, two, one, releasing. 1216 01:11:44,260 --> 01:11:47,460 BEEPING Oh, here we go! It's coming down! 1217 01:11:47,460 --> 01:11:49,500 Oh! Missed! 1218 01:11:49,500 --> 01:11:52,340 Missed the tarpaulin by that much. 1219 01:11:53,660 --> 01:11:56,740 With all our cameras back, and mostly in one piece, 1220 01:11:56,740 --> 01:11:58,900 time to see what they reveal. 1221 01:12:03,140 --> 01:12:06,540 At dusk, the team reconvene to have a look. 1222 01:12:09,020 --> 01:12:12,340 For Carmen and Andrew, it's a tantalising glimpse 1223 01:12:12,340 --> 01:12:14,660 inside a koala's world. 1224 01:12:16,540 --> 01:12:19,380 And it's a raucous start from Hunter. 1225 01:12:19,380 --> 01:12:21,460 HUNTER BELLOWS 1226 01:12:23,460 --> 01:12:25,220 Oh, wow, that's cool! Wow! 1227 01:12:25,220 --> 01:12:28,500 He is, what's known as, bellowing. 1228 01:12:30,340 --> 01:12:32,940 And this is the first time a koala bellow 1229 01:12:32,940 --> 01:12:35,740 has been recorded at this proximity. 1230 01:12:35,740 --> 01:12:38,580 BELLOWING 1231 01:12:38,580 --> 01:12:40,860 Dominant males call out like this 1232 01:12:40,860 --> 01:12:43,940 to advertise themselves to nearby females, 1233 01:12:43,940 --> 01:12:47,620 and alert other males to stay away. 1234 01:12:53,100 --> 01:12:56,100 Territorial call complete, it's time for dinner. 1235 01:12:58,780 --> 01:13:00,580 By the looks of the thin branches, 1236 01:13:00,580 --> 01:13:03,660 Hunter is precariously high in the tree tops, 1237 01:13:03,660 --> 01:13:06,620 reaching out for the newest, luscious growth. 1238 01:13:08,460 --> 01:13:11,860 It's interesting here with this footage, to see how their fingers, 1239 01:13:11,860 --> 01:13:16,460 their claws, their digits actually work as they're climbing. 1240 01:13:16,460 --> 01:13:20,540 Koalas have two opposable thumbs on each front paw, 1241 01:13:20,540 --> 01:13:24,580 to help clasp tree trunks and grip branches. 1242 01:13:24,580 --> 01:13:26,540 They've got a very strong grip. 1243 01:13:26,540 --> 01:13:29,300 You haven't been gripped by a koala yet, have you? No. 1244 01:13:29,300 --> 01:13:32,020 Oh-ho-ho-ho! It's...it's strong. 1245 01:13:33,020 --> 01:13:37,980 Koalas almost exclusively feed on low-nutrient eucalyptus leaves. 1246 01:13:37,980 --> 01:13:42,420 And they can nibble through almost half a kilo in one evening. 1247 01:13:44,500 --> 01:13:46,740 These leaves are poisonous to most animals. 1248 01:13:48,540 --> 01:13:51,180 But koalas have evolved to digest the toxins. 1249 01:13:54,020 --> 01:13:58,060 And our camera records Hunter eating for three hours straight. 1250 01:13:59,940 --> 01:14:02,980 Tom, on the other hand, is on the move. 1251 01:14:07,860 --> 01:14:10,660 It's so easy to forget when you're watching this night-time footage 1252 01:14:10,660 --> 01:14:13,940 that that's not what they're seeing. They're in total darkness. 1253 01:14:13,940 --> 01:14:17,820 A koala's eyesight is their weakest sense. 1254 01:14:17,820 --> 01:14:20,500 So while on the ground, Tom regularly makes stops 1255 01:14:20,500 --> 01:14:23,500 to check his surroundings. 1256 01:14:23,500 --> 01:14:26,220 But he's obviously sort of orientating himself. 1257 01:14:26,220 --> 01:14:28,860 He's obviously deliberately stopping. 1258 01:14:30,180 --> 01:14:32,620 Tom is using his highly developed sense of smell 1259 01:14:32,620 --> 01:14:36,700 to navigate and assess his surroundings for danger. 1260 01:14:38,380 --> 01:14:40,500 And he presses on, 1261 01:14:40,500 --> 01:14:44,540 covering almost half a kilometre of ground in 30 minutes. 1262 01:14:46,380 --> 01:14:51,180 For an arboreal species, this is a midnight marsupial marathon. 1263 01:14:53,940 --> 01:14:55,700 So, what about Robyn? 1264 01:14:56,780 --> 01:14:58,220 Aw, look at her feet! 1265 01:14:59,460 --> 01:15:03,260 Her footage begins with a dedicated hunt for a new tree. 1266 01:15:03,260 --> 01:15:05,460 This is interesting, seeing what she's seeing 1267 01:15:05,460 --> 01:15:08,300 and seeing how she's moving and she's behaving. 1268 01:15:08,300 --> 01:15:11,420 I wonder if she's got a destination in mind? 1269 01:15:12,660 --> 01:15:17,300 Female koala home ranges are usually smaller than the males'. 1270 01:15:17,300 --> 01:15:19,540 The amount of time Robyn is spending on the ground 1271 01:15:19,540 --> 01:15:23,620 is unexpected, and dangerous. 1272 01:15:23,620 --> 01:15:25,860 I thought she might have got up a tree much quicker. 1273 01:15:25,860 --> 01:15:28,220 If there's any predators around, particularly dogs, 1274 01:15:28,220 --> 01:15:30,700 they can pick up her scent and chase her down. 1275 01:15:32,980 --> 01:15:36,660 After stopping at eight different trees along the way, 1276 01:15:36,660 --> 01:15:39,380 Robyn finally finds one she likes. 1277 01:15:40,700 --> 01:15:43,540 Wow! That was a very quick, um... Yes. Mm. 1278 01:15:43,540 --> 01:15:45,620 ..jump in that tree. That leap. It's almost like, 1279 01:15:45,620 --> 01:15:47,900 "I've made up my mind, I'm going for it". 1280 01:15:47,900 --> 01:15:50,860 Perhaps she got a good eucalypt smell 1281 01:15:50,860 --> 01:15:54,300 that maybe means there might be some good food up there. 1282 01:15:54,300 --> 01:15:57,700 A lot of trees have different tannin levels. Yes. 1283 01:15:57,700 --> 01:15:59,540 So she's sniffing those trees and deciding, 1284 01:15:59,540 --> 01:16:01,300 "Do I want to go up there and eat?" 1285 01:16:03,020 --> 01:16:06,100 Koalas choose trees for specific reasons. 1286 01:16:06,100 --> 01:16:08,300 Some are chosen as dedicated food trees 1287 01:16:08,300 --> 01:16:11,500 and others are selected for the shelter they offer. 1288 01:16:15,220 --> 01:16:19,060 Within minutes, Robyn is in the very top of the tree 1289 01:16:19,060 --> 01:16:20,460 she's been searching for. 1290 01:16:20,460 --> 01:16:22,940 Oh, wow! Look at that! 1291 01:16:24,580 --> 01:16:28,900 And as dawn breaks, she settles in for a snooze. 1292 01:16:32,660 --> 01:16:34,340 That's a great shot, isn't it? Yes. 1293 01:16:37,620 --> 01:16:39,380 CARMEN CHUCKLES 1294 01:16:39,380 --> 01:16:42,620 She's sitting up with both paws this way. 1295 01:16:42,620 --> 01:16:44,660 It looks like that, doesn't it? Yeah, yeah. 1296 01:16:44,660 --> 01:16:46,900 Yeah, it's a bit of an embrace. Holding her paws in her lap. 1297 01:16:46,900 --> 01:16:48,500 Dozes off. 1298 01:16:50,140 --> 01:16:52,980 Oh, wow! Aw! Oh, look, the sun's really come up now. 1299 01:16:52,980 --> 01:16:54,620 Mm, it has, hasn't it? 1300 01:16:56,060 --> 01:17:00,300 Our koalas have revealed themselves to be anything but dozy at night. 1301 01:17:02,380 --> 01:17:06,380 A stark contrast to the lazy layabouts they appear to be during the day. 1302 01:17:07,900 --> 01:17:10,420 While it was known that koalas climbed down each night, 1303 01:17:10,420 --> 01:17:12,500 to pick a different tree, 1304 01:17:12,500 --> 01:17:15,540 from observing Tom, Robyn and Hunter, 1305 01:17:15,540 --> 01:17:18,180 it's clear that koalas scale many trees 1306 01:17:18,180 --> 01:17:20,180 over the course of an evening. 1307 01:17:21,260 --> 01:17:24,180 And are incredibly picky. 1308 01:17:24,180 --> 01:17:27,780 They spend more time on the ground than anyone expected. 1309 01:17:29,260 --> 01:17:32,060 It suggests that koalas need sizeable reserves 1310 01:17:32,060 --> 01:17:36,020 and many different types of trees to safeguard their future. 1311 01:17:38,900 --> 01:17:41,340 Combined with Hidden Vale's tracking data, 1312 01:17:41,340 --> 01:17:45,340 our camera footage is key for reserve managers like Andrew. 1313 01:17:46,820 --> 01:17:48,980 This sort of information, I think, is vital 1314 01:17:48,980 --> 01:17:52,700 if we're going to manage koalas and koala populations better. 1315 01:17:54,540 --> 01:17:59,140 In south-east Queensland, more than 2,000 koalas get brought into care every year, 1316 01:17:59,140 --> 01:18:02,220 often because of habitat-clearing. 1317 01:18:02,220 --> 01:18:04,380 Many of those koalas can be rehabilitated 1318 01:18:04,380 --> 01:18:06,740 and released back into the wild, 1319 01:18:06,740 --> 01:18:10,140 but if they're going to survive and contribute to the wild population, 1320 01:18:10,140 --> 01:18:13,820 we have to find suitable habitat in which to release them. 1321 01:18:16,260 --> 01:18:19,540 While our camera findings help Andrew better understand 1322 01:18:19,540 --> 01:18:21,980 the needs of the population at Hidden Vale, 1323 01:18:21,980 --> 01:18:26,420 they can also help identify other suitable habitats in Australia. 1324 01:18:26,420 --> 01:18:31,940 And ensure relocated koalas get exactly what they need to survive. 1325 01:18:37,580 --> 01:18:40,780 It's a quick hop to our next story, 1326 01:18:40,780 --> 01:18:43,660 an altogether very different marsupial. 1327 01:18:45,300 --> 01:18:46,900 The kangaroo. 1328 01:18:49,180 --> 01:18:52,380 Renowned for the spring in their step, 1329 01:18:52,380 --> 01:18:56,900 able to leap up to nine metres in a single stride, 1330 01:18:56,900 --> 01:19:01,780 they can cover ground as fast as a racehorse. 1331 01:19:01,780 --> 01:19:04,420 Of the four different species of kangaroo, 1332 01:19:04,420 --> 01:19:08,140 the most numerous is the eastern grey. 1333 01:19:08,140 --> 01:19:12,100 I've come to find them here, in Coffs Harbour, 1334 01:19:12,100 --> 01:19:14,940 500km north of Sydney. 1335 01:19:16,460 --> 01:19:20,300 This picturesque coastline is a growing metropolis 1336 01:19:20,300 --> 01:19:22,780 and a popular holiday destination. 1337 01:19:24,340 --> 01:19:26,980 It's also home to one of the most dense populations 1338 01:19:26,980 --> 01:19:30,820 of eastern grey kangaroos in Australia. 1339 01:19:30,820 --> 01:19:36,580 These voracious herbivores have a huge appetite for grass. 1340 01:19:36,580 --> 01:19:39,820 Grazing as much as ten hours a day. 1341 01:19:41,180 --> 01:19:43,220 But the kangaroos here have taken 1342 01:19:43,220 --> 01:19:45,460 to hanging out with surfers on the beach. 1343 01:19:48,260 --> 01:19:50,500 The question is, why? 1344 01:19:52,380 --> 01:19:54,980 I'm just trying to get a sense of this place 1345 01:19:54,980 --> 01:19:57,620 and a sense of the kangaroos that live here. 1346 01:19:57,620 --> 01:20:01,460 This seems like a really unlikely place for kangaroos to come. 1347 01:20:01,460 --> 01:20:03,740 And the big question that I have is, 1348 01:20:03,740 --> 01:20:06,740 what are they...what are they doing here? 1349 01:20:06,740 --> 01:20:09,020 And if I can't answer that question, 1350 01:20:09,020 --> 01:20:11,340 I'm hoping that our cameras can. 1351 01:20:12,780 --> 01:20:15,700 Despite their numbers, local highway expansion 1352 01:20:15,700 --> 01:20:19,940 and new housing developments means this mob is under threat. 1353 01:20:21,420 --> 01:20:25,940 And this is a key factor - the Pacific Motorway. 1354 01:20:26,980 --> 01:20:29,740 At 790km long, 1355 01:20:29,740 --> 01:20:32,060 this coastal road connects Sydney in the south 1356 01:20:32,060 --> 01:20:33,940 to the Gold Coast in the north. 1357 01:20:37,060 --> 01:20:39,500 But it's confined the roos of Coffs Harbour 1358 01:20:39,500 --> 01:20:43,140 to a narrow strip of land between road and sea. 1359 01:20:44,780 --> 01:20:46,940 If four lanes of traffic aren't enough, 1360 01:20:46,940 --> 01:20:51,180 the fences either side make it impossible to cross. 1361 01:20:51,180 --> 01:20:54,300 So the kangaroos are trapped here, 1362 01:20:54,300 --> 01:20:56,500 with less and less food to go around. 1363 01:21:03,660 --> 01:21:07,300 Kangaroos don't come in all shapes, but they do come in all sizes. 1364 01:21:07,300 --> 01:21:10,940 You've got the big males, they're called boomers. 1365 01:21:10,940 --> 01:21:12,780 At the opposite end of the scale, 1366 01:21:12,780 --> 01:21:14,940 the little ditty ones are called joeys, 1367 01:21:14,940 --> 01:21:17,660 and the females are called flyers. 1368 01:21:20,300 --> 01:21:23,540 Because of the urban development, because of the highway, 1369 01:21:23,540 --> 01:21:27,340 it has changed the dynamics of...of this population. 1370 01:21:28,420 --> 01:21:32,580 To my untrained eye, these animals are not in peak condition. 1371 01:21:32,580 --> 01:21:34,700 You see that they're on the skinny side. 1372 01:21:37,380 --> 01:21:41,420 With limited space and food on offer between the motorway and ocean, 1373 01:21:41,420 --> 01:21:44,500 the roos have already been pushed on to the headland, 1374 01:21:44,500 --> 01:21:49,140 and even the dunes, as they desperately attempt to find food. 1375 01:21:49,140 --> 01:21:52,180 But are they going one step further 1376 01:21:52,180 --> 01:21:55,020 and feeding on the beach itself? 1377 01:21:55,020 --> 01:21:58,900 And, can our cameras prove it? 1378 01:21:58,900 --> 01:22:01,820 Dr Cathy Herbert from the University of Sydney 1379 01:22:01,820 --> 01:22:06,020 has been studying the population here for the past five years. 1380 01:22:06,020 --> 01:22:09,060 We've just noticed, literally within the last year, 1381 01:22:09,060 --> 01:22:11,580 that we're seeing more and more animals on the beach. 1382 01:22:11,580 --> 01:22:15,020 They're actually foraging on some of the vegetation, 1383 01:22:15,020 --> 01:22:17,300 on the sand dunes. 1384 01:22:17,300 --> 01:22:19,420 But we're also seeing some interesting signs 1385 01:22:19,420 --> 01:22:21,620 in terms of their tracks on the beaches. 1386 01:22:21,620 --> 01:22:25,540 And it's possible that maybe they're foraging on some sort of food source, 1387 01:22:25,540 --> 01:22:28,140 which would be a really interesting and unique observation 1388 01:22:28,140 --> 01:22:29,980 for this particular species. 1389 01:22:29,980 --> 01:22:33,220 The eastern grey kangaroo tends to be most active 1390 01:22:33,220 --> 01:22:37,700 early in the morning and at dusk, when we can't see them. 1391 01:22:37,700 --> 01:22:40,100 So by getting video footage, particularly overnight 1392 01:22:40,100 --> 01:22:41,740 and really early in the morning, 1393 01:22:41,740 --> 01:22:43,700 we might be able to unravel this mystery 1394 01:22:43,700 --> 01:22:45,380 and figure out what they're doing. 1395 01:22:47,460 --> 01:22:51,820 Kangaroos are crepuscular, feeding at dawn and dusk. 1396 01:22:51,820 --> 01:22:55,340 So if they are going down to the water line in the early hours, 1397 01:22:55,340 --> 01:22:57,380 the tracks are gone by daybreak. 1398 01:22:58,820 --> 01:23:00,820 These kangaroos coming down onto the beach, 1399 01:23:00,820 --> 01:23:02,500 they're motivated by something, 1400 01:23:02,500 --> 01:23:05,100 and that's the mystery, that's the question. Yeah. 1401 01:23:06,340 --> 01:23:08,140 We can see them hopping down, 1402 01:23:08,140 --> 01:23:10,300 we see them slowing down, 1403 01:23:10,300 --> 01:23:13,260 and then the tides wash the tracks away. Yeah. 1404 01:23:14,460 --> 01:23:18,820 Nobody's really done a thorough investigation of what they're doing 1405 01:23:18,820 --> 01:23:22,380 and how they're utilising that beach environment. Yeah. 1406 01:23:25,060 --> 01:23:27,940 The shoreline is certainly not an ideal habitat 1407 01:23:27,940 --> 01:23:29,660 for these ravenous roos. 1408 01:23:31,140 --> 01:23:34,180 So, what could they be feeding on by the water's edge? 1409 01:23:35,380 --> 01:23:38,580 It's something I hope our cameras can reveal. 1410 01:23:39,860 --> 01:23:41,500 But how do you create a camera 1411 01:23:41,500 --> 01:23:44,100 that can withstand being bounced around? 1412 01:23:45,540 --> 01:23:48,780 It's another unique challenge for Chris. 1413 01:23:48,780 --> 01:23:50,580 Hey, Chris. You all right? 1414 01:23:50,580 --> 01:23:52,500 Let's talk kangaroos and cameras. 1415 01:23:52,500 --> 01:23:56,300 We'll try to use neoprene, which is kind of a stretchy material, 1416 01:23:56,300 --> 01:23:58,140 so it will move with the animal. 1417 01:23:58,140 --> 01:24:02,180 And we have got a release mechanism which is controllable by us. Mm-hm. 1418 01:24:02,180 --> 01:24:04,420 It's a small nylon cord 1419 01:24:04,420 --> 01:24:06,940 that basically gets cut when we trigger it. OK. 1420 01:24:06,940 --> 01:24:09,300 And then, that'll just drop the whole thing away. 1421 01:24:09,300 --> 01:24:12,380 But as a backup, if this failed, we've got a fail-safe, 1422 01:24:12,380 --> 01:24:14,820 which is kind of a weak point in the collar, 1423 01:24:14,820 --> 01:24:17,900 which is just made with a natural cotton. 1424 01:24:17,900 --> 01:24:20,700 So we've got to make it strong enough, but also weak enough 1425 01:24:20,700 --> 01:24:22,900 that if they didn't like it or wanted to get it off, 1426 01:24:22,900 --> 01:24:25,340 that it would easily come away. 1427 01:24:29,020 --> 01:24:33,260 With the cameras ready, we now need our kangaroos. 1428 01:24:36,940 --> 01:24:39,180 To get close enough to conduct a research, 1429 01:24:39,180 --> 01:24:42,220 Cathy uses a tranquiliser gun. 1430 01:24:43,620 --> 01:24:46,780 DART RELEASES AND ROO SNORTS GENTLY 1431 01:24:46,780 --> 01:24:48,340 Sedated and safe, 1432 01:24:48,340 --> 01:24:51,060 a series of blood samples and measurements are taken 1433 01:24:51,060 --> 01:24:54,020 to help assess the health of this population, 1434 01:24:54,020 --> 01:24:56,860 and the first signs are worrying. 1435 01:24:56,860 --> 01:24:59,180 She is a little bit thin. 1436 01:24:59,180 --> 01:25:00,900 So some of the areas around the tail here, 1437 01:25:00,900 --> 01:25:02,900 they should have lots of muscle... Mm-hm. 1438 01:25:02,900 --> 01:25:06,580 ..either side of the processes that stick out from the vertebrae. 1439 01:25:06,580 --> 01:25:09,740 And I can feel those vertebral processes 1440 01:25:09,740 --> 01:25:12,100 quite prominently in her tail. 1441 01:25:12,100 --> 01:25:15,940 So she's definitely not in fantastic condition. 1442 01:25:15,940 --> 01:25:19,340 None of the kangaroos here are in prime health. 1443 01:25:19,340 --> 01:25:22,020 But importantly, Cathy is happy that this roo 1444 01:25:22,020 --> 01:25:24,340 is fit enough to carry our camera. 1445 01:25:26,100 --> 01:25:28,300 How do you feel about that? Yes, it seems pretty good. 1446 01:25:28,300 --> 01:25:31,220 You want to be able to get a finger between, or two fingers between, 1447 01:25:31,220 --> 01:25:32,780 quite comfortably. 1448 01:25:32,780 --> 01:25:34,860 OK, Cathy, are you happy with that? Yeah. 1449 01:25:36,180 --> 01:25:40,740 Yeah. Yeah, you definitely don't want it any looser, so, yeah. 1450 01:25:40,740 --> 01:25:42,900 Now weigh. Weigh. OK. Weigh. 1451 01:25:44,260 --> 01:25:47,780 It's OK. This is my workout for the day. OK. 1452 01:25:47,780 --> 01:25:49,940 31.5. 1453 01:25:49,940 --> 01:25:54,060 Camera on, our roo is weighed... 1454 01:25:54,060 --> 01:25:56,140 30.1. Yeah. 1455 01:25:56,140 --> 01:25:58,340 ..and allowed to come round. 1456 01:26:05,740 --> 01:26:09,020 She's looking around, she looks perfectly relaxed and comfortable. 1457 01:26:09,020 --> 01:26:10,340 It's a good thing. 1458 01:26:11,460 --> 01:26:15,300 And just figuring out what her new bit of bling is. 1459 01:26:18,860 --> 01:26:22,940 But her new accessory doesn't last long. 1460 01:26:24,700 --> 01:26:27,140 Damn it! 1461 01:26:27,140 --> 01:26:29,060 How did that happen? 1462 01:26:29,060 --> 01:26:33,060 Our wily kangaroo has already broken out of the collar. 1463 01:26:33,980 --> 01:26:36,780 I didn't even see. I don't know whether she was scratching her ear, 1464 01:26:36,780 --> 01:26:39,780 or whether she, er... 1465 01:26:39,780 --> 01:26:42,260 ..got one of her claws just inside, 1466 01:26:42,260 --> 01:26:44,500 under the neoprene, and pulled it off. 1467 01:26:45,700 --> 01:26:47,220 Oh, that's not good. 1468 01:26:48,740 --> 01:26:51,620 Chris? I think the cotton might have failed. 1469 01:26:51,620 --> 01:26:53,140 CHRIS SIGHS 1470 01:26:53,140 --> 01:26:56,340 It looks like the weak link Chris built in to the collar 1471 01:26:56,340 --> 01:26:58,700 has snapped too easily. 1472 01:27:03,300 --> 01:27:07,740 With reinforcements made, and as Cathy is darting many roos for her research, 1473 01:27:07,740 --> 01:27:09,660 we're soon ready to try again. 1474 01:27:12,980 --> 01:27:16,180 And this female has a surprise in store. 1475 01:27:16,180 --> 01:27:19,740 She's got a little one in the pouch. Oh, does she? Oh! 1476 01:27:19,740 --> 01:27:22,300 Oh, my word! That is incredible! Look at that! 1477 01:27:23,900 --> 01:27:27,140 That is... Yeah. ..extraordinary. 1478 01:27:27,140 --> 01:27:29,580 Jeez! That just defies belief. 1479 01:27:29,580 --> 01:27:32,420 Yeah. So this one... That is alien. It is. 1480 01:27:32,420 --> 01:27:37,020 ..is probably about ten weeks old. 1481 01:27:37,020 --> 01:27:40,300 And we should be able to tell what sex it is. 1482 01:27:40,300 --> 01:27:42,460 Gosh, it's so delicate! 1483 01:27:42,460 --> 01:27:45,620 It's a female. OK. You can just see her little pouch. 1484 01:27:45,620 --> 01:27:47,420 That is just extraordinary! 1485 01:27:49,500 --> 01:27:53,540 The anaesthetic that Cathy uses won't pass into the mother's milk, 1486 01:27:53,540 --> 01:27:58,020 so this little Joey is completely unaffected by the procedure. 1487 01:27:58,020 --> 01:28:01,100 Yeah, that's the most amazing thing of the year, I think. 1488 01:28:01,100 --> 01:28:03,500 As Cathy takes the rest of her measurements, 1489 01:28:03,500 --> 01:28:06,020 Chris carefully attaches the camera. 1490 01:28:07,580 --> 01:28:10,140 And she's left under a tree to wake up. 1491 01:28:13,140 --> 01:28:15,540 But this roo is giving us the runaround. 1492 01:28:16,700 --> 01:28:18,540 When we go back to check on her, 1493 01:28:18,540 --> 01:28:21,420 all we find is a camera on the ground. 1494 01:28:23,500 --> 01:28:25,060 It seems the quick-release collar 1495 01:28:25,060 --> 01:28:27,580 is proving a little too easy to get out of. 1496 01:28:29,220 --> 01:28:32,140 Its fail-safe, just a few strands of cotton, 1497 01:28:32,140 --> 01:28:34,180 is still too fragile. 1498 01:28:34,180 --> 01:28:36,180 It is a very fine balance. 1499 01:28:36,180 --> 01:28:39,060 You were going to say fine line, which is exactly... I was! ..what it is. 1500 01:28:39,060 --> 01:28:42,340 So maybe we need a less-fine line. Yeah. 1501 01:28:42,340 --> 01:28:44,580 GORDON CHUCKLES I think we can up it a bit more. 1502 01:28:44,580 --> 01:28:46,620 What I'll do is go back and I'll thicken it up 1503 01:28:46,620 --> 01:28:48,940 and just have a few practices at breaking it 1504 01:28:48,940 --> 01:28:51,460 and just get a feel for... Yeah. ..how much force. 1505 01:28:51,460 --> 01:28:54,860 Chris is going to redesign the collar overnight, 1506 01:28:54,860 --> 01:28:58,140 but will it be enough to get our kangaroo shoot under way? 1507 01:29:02,420 --> 01:29:04,900 From a species grappling with urban sprawl 1508 01:29:04,900 --> 01:29:09,300 to one which has chosen to live right in the middle of it. 1509 01:29:12,060 --> 01:29:13,940 For our next camera candidate, 1510 01:29:13,940 --> 01:29:16,420 we're heading straight into the heart of the city. 1511 01:29:18,780 --> 01:29:20,700 Adelaide, South Australia. 1512 01:29:22,100 --> 01:29:24,980 In 2010, a small group of pioneers 1513 01:29:24,980 --> 01:29:28,980 embarked on an epic journey to set up camp here. 1514 01:29:30,900 --> 01:29:35,700 50 or so new arrivals have now grown to more than 22,000. 1515 01:29:36,740 --> 01:29:39,100 Meet the grey-headed flying foxes. 1516 01:29:41,220 --> 01:29:43,580 Usually found along the east coast, 1517 01:29:43,580 --> 01:29:47,180 these intrepid travellers have flown 1,000 kilometres 1518 01:29:47,180 --> 01:29:49,300 to settle in South Australia. 1519 01:29:51,180 --> 01:29:56,260 Never before seen here, their sudden appearance was a complete mystery. 1520 01:29:56,260 --> 01:29:58,900 HIGH-PITCHED CLICKING 1521 01:29:58,900 --> 01:30:03,220 Despite their fox-like faces, these are no canines. 1522 01:30:03,220 --> 01:30:07,940 They are, in fact, one of Australia's largest species of bat. 1523 01:30:09,140 --> 01:30:12,540 Weighing up to a kilo, these magnificent flying mammals 1524 01:30:12,540 --> 01:30:14,900 have a wingspan of over a metre. 1525 01:30:16,460 --> 01:30:18,220 Unlike the smaller microbats, 1526 01:30:18,220 --> 01:30:22,380 these giants don't echolocate, or feed on insects. 1527 01:30:24,060 --> 01:30:27,500 Instead, they eat flowers and fruit, 1528 01:30:27,500 --> 01:30:31,380 giving them their other name, fruit bats. 1529 01:30:33,100 --> 01:30:36,460 But can they find the right foods in their new city home? 1530 01:30:38,100 --> 01:30:40,900 What has drawn them all the way to Adelaide? 1531 01:30:43,060 --> 01:30:45,420 As a species, they're often unpopular 1532 01:30:45,420 --> 01:30:49,500 for their large, noisy camps and appetite for food crops. 1533 01:30:49,500 --> 01:30:51,540 To most, the sudden arrival 1534 01:30:51,540 --> 01:30:54,580 of flying foxes in Adelaide was puzzling. 1535 01:30:56,780 --> 01:30:58,780 But for wildlife vet, Wayne Boardman, 1536 01:30:58,780 --> 01:31:00,860 and bat specialist, Terry Reardon, 1537 01:31:00,860 --> 01:31:03,620 their arrival was the perfect opportunity 1538 01:31:03,620 --> 01:31:05,700 to study the species in more depth. 1539 01:31:07,780 --> 01:31:11,580 What I love about them is they're very smart, very intelligent. 1540 01:31:11,580 --> 01:31:14,260 They've got this incredible physiology. 1541 01:31:14,260 --> 01:31:18,100 They have developed great senses of smell, 1542 01:31:18,100 --> 01:31:20,340 good eyesight, great hearing, 1543 01:31:20,340 --> 01:31:23,140 and they've got this ability to move across the landscape. 1544 01:31:23,140 --> 01:31:27,260 Wayne and his team at the University of Adelaide have tracked 1545 01:31:27,260 --> 01:31:30,700 the flying foxes' nocturnal movements using GPS collars, 1546 01:31:30,700 --> 01:31:34,540 and discovered that they travel up to 80km a night 1547 01:31:34,540 --> 01:31:36,580 when they fly off to forage. 1548 01:31:36,580 --> 01:31:38,260 It would be really nice to find out 1549 01:31:38,260 --> 01:31:40,220 what they do when they go out travelling. 1550 01:31:40,220 --> 01:31:42,460 Do they feed? What do they feed on? 1551 01:31:43,740 --> 01:31:45,940 Could food preference be a key reason 1552 01:31:45,940 --> 01:31:48,980 behind the flying foxes' arrival in the city? 1553 01:31:48,980 --> 01:31:52,460 Flying foxes primarily eat gum flowers 1554 01:31:52,460 --> 01:31:54,100 and the nectar from gum flowers, 1555 01:31:54,100 --> 01:31:55,820 and also, fruit. 1556 01:31:57,540 --> 01:32:01,820 These megabats can eat important agricultural crops, 1557 01:32:01,820 --> 01:32:04,940 which is why many people consider them to be a pest. 1558 01:32:06,740 --> 01:32:10,900 Their hunger for fruit is a particular worry for local farmers. 1559 01:32:13,660 --> 01:32:17,420 The Adelaide region is home to numerous sugar-rich crops. 1560 01:32:19,860 --> 01:32:22,860 Safe to say, Adelaide's new arrivals 1561 01:32:22,860 --> 01:32:26,140 were not a welcome sight for local fruit producers. 1562 01:32:28,380 --> 01:32:31,380 When we have a species that's quite contentious 1563 01:32:31,380 --> 01:32:34,340 in terms of causing problems with commercial fruit, 1564 01:32:34,340 --> 01:32:36,940 we want to try and find out exactly what they're eating. 1565 01:32:36,940 --> 01:32:39,580 If we know that they're eating a lot of commercial fruit, 1566 01:32:39,580 --> 01:32:41,820 what can we put in place to stop them? 1567 01:32:41,820 --> 01:32:45,260 If they're not eating commercial fruit, then we can be happy 1568 01:32:45,260 --> 01:32:49,380 that they are part of the landscape, and we should enjoy them. 1569 01:32:51,100 --> 01:32:54,980 And these much-persecuted animals really should be celebrated. 1570 01:32:56,580 --> 01:32:59,900 An individual flying fox will not only pollinate many plants, 1571 01:32:59,900 --> 01:33:05,220 but disperse up to 60,000 seeds across the landscape every night. 1572 01:33:07,220 --> 01:33:09,020 From a scientific point of view, 1573 01:33:09,020 --> 01:33:12,460 flying foxes are extremely valuable for the environment. 1574 01:33:14,700 --> 01:33:18,540 Which is why Wayne is studying the ongoing health of the population here. 1575 01:33:20,620 --> 01:33:23,820 But the only way to really understand their world 1576 01:33:23,820 --> 01:33:26,100 is to get amongst it. 1577 01:33:26,100 --> 01:33:28,540 Something that is tricky enough during the day, 1578 01:33:28,540 --> 01:33:31,260 but practically impossible at night. 1579 01:33:32,700 --> 01:33:36,660 To answer Wayne's question of where they go and what they feed on, 1580 01:33:36,660 --> 01:33:39,580 a wearable night-time camera is called for. 1581 01:33:41,380 --> 01:33:44,180 Yet another task for Chris. 1582 01:33:44,180 --> 01:33:49,060 And safe to say, this build has given him the most sleepless nights. 1583 01:33:49,060 --> 01:33:52,100 So putting a camera on a bat has got to be 1584 01:33:52,100 --> 01:33:54,300 the most challenging thing I've been asked to do yet. 1585 01:33:56,380 --> 01:34:01,020 Although they are one of the biggest bad species, around 800g, 1586 01:34:01,020 --> 01:34:04,060 that only gave me a weight limit of 35g. 1587 01:34:04,060 --> 01:34:08,420 And that is the equivalent to maybe two packets of chewing gum. 1588 01:34:08,420 --> 01:34:11,380 And for that tiny payload, Chris has built a camera 1589 01:34:11,380 --> 01:34:13,420 complete with infrared light, 1590 01:34:13,420 --> 01:34:16,980 a programmable onboard computer and a VHF tracker. 1591 01:34:16,980 --> 01:34:19,700 Another design consideration with this camera 1592 01:34:19,700 --> 01:34:21,460 has been the placement. 1593 01:34:21,460 --> 01:34:23,780 So we've decided to put it on the back. 1594 01:34:23,780 --> 01:34:25,540 And that's hopefully going to mean 1595 01:34:25,540 --> 01:34:27,860 it's not in the way when the bats are flying. 1596 01:34:27,860 --> 01:34:30,060 And they also spend a lot of time hanging upside down, 1597 01:34:30,060 --> 01:34:32,100 so if it's on the back, it's out of the way. 1598 01:34:32,100 --> 01:34:34,980 If it was a collar camera, it's going right under their chin 1599 01:34:34,980 --> 01:34:36,740 and it's going to be really annoying. 1600 01:34:36,740 --> 01:34:40,660 So much of this is the animals being as comfortable wearing these cameras as possible, 1601 01:34:40,660 --> 01:34:42,860 cos that gives us the best chance of them staying on. 1602 01:34:45,940 --> 01:34:49,940 As night falls, the flying foxes depart for the evening adventures. 1603 01:34:54,860 --> 01:34:59,140 Just a few hours later, Chris and the team arrive at the Botanic Park 1604 01:34:59,140 --> 01:35:01,740 to prepare for the flying foxes' return. 1605 01:35:04,020 --> 01:35:07,420 It's a 3:00am start for scientists Wayne, Terry 1606 01:35:07,420 --> 01:35:10,700 and a team of expert bat-catchers. 1607 01:35:10,700 --> 01:35:13,100 So if you want to come and have a look at the ropes, Chris? 1608 01:35:13,100 --> 01:35:17,540 Wayne surveys the health of the flying fox population here twice a year. 1609 01:35:18,700 --> 01:35:20,860 A process that involves capturing them, 1610 01:35:20,860 --> 01:35:24,100 weighing them and taking samples. 1611 01:35:24,100 --> 01:35:28,300 Which also gives us the perfect opportunity to attach our cameras. 1612 01:35:29,820 --> 01:35:32,580 The flying foxes will be caught in a fine net 1613 01:35:32,580 --> 01:35:35,300 suspended between two trees. 1614 01:35:35,300 --> 01:35:37,300 So, everybody knows what they're doing? 1615 01:35:40,740 --> 01:35:42,580 So this is our first morning, um... 1616 01:35:42,580 --> 01:35:44,620 that we might actually catch a bat. 1617 01:35:44,620 --> 01:35:46,620 Very excited to see if this will work. 1618 01:35:46,620 --> 01:35:51,140 It's quite an operation, getting this net up in the tree. 1619 01:35:51,140 --> 01:35:53,820 So, yeah, now we wait. 1620 01:35:53,820 --> 01:35:56,380 And it's not long before one hits the net. 1621 01:35:56,380 --> 01:35:57,820 Oh! 1622 01:35:59,900 --> 01:36:01,900 Right. 1623 01:36:05,300 --> 01:36:07,860 JUBILANT CHATTER 1624 01:36:07,860 --> 01:36:11,460 Each flying fox caught is weighed as part of its checkup. 1625 01:36:11,460 --> 01:36:14,820 And if one tips the scales at 700g or more, 1626 01:36:14,820 --> 01:36:18,220 it's also big enough to carry one of our cameras. 1627 01:36:18,220 --> 01:36:19,940 800. Yeah, got it. 1628 01:36:19,940 --> 01:36:21,700 While the survey continues, 1629 01:36:21,700 --> 01:36:24,020 already-captured bats are hung in a bag 1630 01:36:24,020 --> 01:36:27,100 for the short wait before going to the vet facility. 1631 01:36:27,100 --> 01:36:30,380 For animals that naturally hang upside down, 1632 01:36:30,380 --> 01:36:32,420 this has a calming effect. 1633 01:36:33,980 --> 01:36:35,940 Yep, that's it. 1634 01:36:35,940 --> 01:36:37,700 OK, up. Up! 1635 01:36:39,460 --> 01:36:44,300 By 5:30am, six flying foxes have been caught for Wayne's checks, 1636 01:36:44,300 --> 01:36:46,900 and hopefully, our cameras. 1637 01:36:52,220 --> 01:36:56,780 Back at the clinic, it's time to meet our first flying fox camera cadet. 1638 01:36:57,780 --> 01:36:59,380 So I'm just going to get the mask. 1639 01:37:01,460 --> 01:37:04,300 The process begins with a light anaesthesia. 1640 01:37:05,900 --> 01:37:08,900 Safely asleep, Wayne conducts his research. 1641 01:37:10,140 --> 01:37:12,580 As well as weight, he takes a blood sample, 1642 01:37:12,580 --> 01:37:17,460 checks for body condition, and collects some key measurements. 1643 01:37:17,460 --> 01:37:20,100 So it's amazing to see these animals up close. 1644 01:37:20,100 --> 01:37:23,740 They're actually bigger than I was expecting. 1645 01:37:24,980 --> 01:37:28,060 They've got these really sharp teeth, which I'm a little bit worried about, 1646 01:37:28,060 --> 01:37:31,060 cos obviously, these cameras are so light, they're not very well-protected. 1647 01:37:31,060 --> 01:37:34,700 Gloves on, it's time for the camera. 1648 01:37:34,700 --> 01:37:37,540 And it's a great fit. 1649 01:37:37,540 --> 01:37:39,380 I'm quite happy with that. 1650 01:37:39,380 --> 01:37:41,900 It's sitting between the shoulder blades nicely. 1651 01:37:41,900 --> 01:37:44,620 So, we can wake it up? Happy? Yes. Yeah, yeah. Good. 1652 01:37:47,940 --> 01:37:49,940 After Wayne fits the rest of the cameras 1653 01:37:49,940 --> 01:37:51,900 and the anaesthetic has worn off, 1654 01:37:51,900 --> 01:37:55,340 the flying foxes are ready to be returned to the camp. 1655 01:37:55,340 --> 01:37:57,460 HIGH-PITCHED CLICKING 1656 01:37:59,700 --> 01:38:03,580 Wayne gently places our first crew member on the tree, 1657 01:38:03,580 --> 01:38:08,300 and it seems completely unfazed by its new high-tech backpack. 1658 01:38:09,620 --> 01:38:11,500 But in a camp of 22,000, 1659 01:38:11,500 --> 01:38:13,700 it's not long before it disappears from view. 1660 01:38:15,220 --> 01:38:18,780 This is part of the argument for putting a camera on a bat, isn't it? 1661 01:38:18,780 --> 01:38:21,460 Is how quickly we've lost sight. Yeah. 1662 01:38:21,460 --> 01:38:24,260 And our camera is now capturing it all for us. 1663 01:38:26,300 --> 01:38:30,420 Thankfully, our long-lens camera finds it high in the tree tops. 1664 01:38:31,940 --> 01:38:34,580 As this is the first deployment, 1665 01:38:34,580 --> 01:38:39,100 Chris wants to keep the flying fox in sight, to make sure it's OK. 1666 01:38:39,100 --> 01:38:40,940 The bat's actually just taken off. 1667 01:38:42,140 --> 01:38:43,820 That's incredible! That's the first time 1668 01:38:43,820 --> 01:38:48,820 that we've ever had actual flying footage from a bat. 1669 01:38:48,820 --> 01:38:50,980 Whaa! CHRIS LAUGHS 1670 01:38:52,100 --> 01:38:54,060 It's a great start. 1671 01:38:54,060 --> 01:38:58,340 And over the next hour, five more are released back into the camp. 1672 01:38:58,340 --> 01:39:01,300 Each of these carrying a night-time camera 1673 01:39:01,300 --> 01:39:05,220 to reveal their all-important nocturnal feeding habits. 1674 01:39:05,220 --> 01:39:08,660 The first test camera has been recording throughout, 1675 01:39:08,660 --> 01:39:12,180 so now it's time to get it back and see if it's worked. 1676 01:39:15,260 --> 01:39:19,220 Remarkably, within the minuscule 35-gram camera, 1677 01:39:19,220 --> 01:39:22,860 Chris has built in a remote-controlled drop-off mechanism. 1678 01:39:25,260 --> 01:39:27,700 But just as he's about to press the trigger, 1679 01:39:27,700 --> 01:39:30,300 the flying fox takes to the skies. 1680 01:39:30,300 --> 01:39:32,300 Taking our footage with it. 1681 01:39:35,020 --> 01:39:36,580 A lot, or just a little bit? 1682 01:39:38,100 --> 01:39:39,420 A lot? 1683 01:39:39,420 --> 01:39:41,340 Without the camera in view, 1684 01:39:41,340 --> 01:39:44,180 it's high risk to hit the release button, 1685 01:39:44,180 --> 01:39:46,740 but Chris tries anyway. 1686 01:39:46,740 --> 01:39:51,460 Three, two, one, releasing. 1687 01:39:58,900 --> 01:40:01,380 While no-one hears or sees the camera fall, 1688 01:40:01,380 --> 01:40:05,820 eagle-eyed cameraman Miles spots something in the undergrowth. 1689 01:40:08,660 --> 01:40:10,700 Much to the relief of the crew. 1690 01:40:12,140 --> 01:40:15,140 Oh, my God! ..Five minutes ago, that... 1691 01:40:15,140 --> 01:40:16,740 MUFFLED CHEERING 1692 01:40:18,660 --> 01:40:20,700 With the first test camera retrieved, 1693 01:40:20,700 --> 01:40:23,700 it's time for Wayne and his team to take a look. 1694 01:40:25,140 --> 01:40:29,380 Unlike the others, this camera is set to record daytime movements. 1695 01:40:29,380 --> 01:40:31,860 Some good news. H-H-Hey! 1696 01:40:31,860 --> 01:40:35,660 It's the team's first look at life in the tree tops... 1697 01:40:35,660 --> 01:40:37,540 BELLS PEAL 1698 01:40:37,540 --> 01:40:40,380 ..and the flying fox's view of Adelaide. 1699 01:40:40,380 --> 01:40:42,180 I thought I could hear music. 1700 01:40:43,580 --> 01:40:46,060 Oh, it's the... No, it's the... It's the cathedral! St Pete. 1701 01:40:46,060 --> 01:40:48,700 The cathedral. Oh, right, the cathedral! Yeah. It's at 10:00am. 1702 01:40:49,940 --> 01:40:52,700 Ha! That's amazing! That is! Perfect timing in there. 1703 01:40:52,700 --> 01:40:57,620 But then, our filming flying fox takes to the skies. 1704 01:40:59,060 --> 01:41:02,740 The first time bat flight has ever been recorded 1705 01:41:02,740 --> 01:41:04,740 from the animal's point of view. 1706 01:41:04,740 --> 01:41:07,580 Oh, you can hear it! Wow! Wing tips are right out in front! 1707 01:41:07,580 --> 01:41:09,380 Ha! 1708 01:41:09,380 --> 01:41:11,300 It's even possible to see 1709 01:41:11,300 --> 01:41:14,460 how its wing tips almost touch after each beat. 1710 01:41:16,940 --> 01:41:20,940 The footage is welcome proof these tiny prototype cameras 1711 01:41:20,940 --> 01:41:23,220 really can help Wayne's research. 1712 01:41:25,860 --> 01:41:27,420 Oh, what a relief! It is. 1713 01:41:27,420 --> 01:41:29,300 We've got some great footage. 1714 01:41:29,300 --> 01:41:30,580 HIGH-PITCHED CHIRPING 1715 01:41:30,580 --> 01:41:34,180 And this daytime camera is already revealing new things to Wayne. 1716 01:41:35,860 --> 01:41:38,780 So it went into the fig tree the first time 1717 01:41:38,780 --> 01:41:40,540 and then it's moved to another tree, did it? 1718 01:41:41,900 --> 01:41:44,620 So, that looks like a pine tree there, doesn't it? Yeah. Yeah. 1719 01:41:44,620 --> 01:41:47,460 The footage is good enough for Wayne to identify 1720 01:41:47,460 --> 01:41:50,820 the different tree species the flying fox is roosting in. 1721 01:41:50,820 --> 01:41:52,740 Detail that will be essential 1722 01:41:52,740 --> 01:41:55,980 if he's to identify what trees and what food 1723 01:41:55,980 --> 01:41:58,620 the flying foxes are feeding on after dark. 1724 01:42:04,020 --> 01:42:06,660 So now to our main experiment. 1725 01:42:08,820 --> 01:42:11,540 The setting sun is the cue for our flying foxes 1726 01:42:11,540 --> 01:42:13,580 to depart and find food. 1727 01:42:14,820 --> 01:42:16,860 Among the thousands that fill the sky 1728 01:42:16,860 --> 01:42:19,500 are our aerial film unit of five. 1729 01:42:20,780 --> 01:42:23,380 And as they disappear into the night, 1730 01:42:23,380 --> 01:42:27,220 it's over to them to film for us. 1731 01:42:27,220 --> 01:42:31,100 But will our cameras survive, and will the flying foxes 1732 01:42:31,100 --> 01:42:33,940 bring their precious footage back tomorrow morning? 1733 01:42:33,940 --> 01:42:35,980 HIGH-PITCHED CHIRPING 1734 01:42:35,980 --> 01:42:37,740 WAVES CRASH 1735 01:42:38,900 --> 01:42:41,260 Back at Coffs Harbour on the east coast, 1736 01:42:41,260 --> 01:42:44,900 this population of kangaroos is feeling the urban squeeze. 1737 01:42:46,940 --> 01:42:49,140 Trapped between a motorway and the ocean, 1738 01:42:49,140 --> 01:42:50,980 they are struggling to find food. 1739 01:42:53,740 --> 01:42:56,900 Dr Cathy Herbert hopes our onboard cameras will reveal 1740 01:42:56,900 --> 01:43:00,780 if these isolated roos are foraging on the beach to survive. 1741 01:43:01,940 --> 01:43:06,500 However, so far, we've not got a camera on. 1742 01:43:06,500 --> 01:43:09,020 The camera collars, made with a quick release to come off 1743 01:43:09,020 --> 01:43:10,860 if the animal gets snagged, 1744 01:43:10,860 --> 01:43:12,940 are falling off too easily. 1745 01:43:12,940 --> 01:43:15,580 It has to be strong enough and weak enough. 1746 01:43:15,580 --> 01:43:17,260 It's just finding that sweet spot... 1747 01:43:17,260 --> 01:43:19,380 That's right, yeah. ..so it doesn't just drop off. 1748 01:43:19,380 --> 01:43:21,660 Well, at the moment, we're using three strands of cotton. 1749 01:43:21,660 --> 01:43:24,700 So I think if we up that to maybe eight or nine pieces... Yeah. 1750 01:43:24,700 --> 01:43:27,180 ..that'll hopefully just give us the edge we need. 1751 01:43:29,380 --> 01:43:31,420 Camera modifications made, 1752 01:43:31,420 --> 01:43:34,740 we head out to hopefully find a kangaroo for our crew. 1753 01:43:37,300 --> 01:43:40,140 You happy with everything? Yeah. So that's all our samples. 1754 01:43:40,140 --> 01:43:42,340 Good. Yeah, camera's good to go. 1755 01:43:42,340 --> 01:43:44,780 Yeah. So we'll put her in a shady spot to recover. 1756 01:43:46,260 --> 01:43:48,860 Time to put Chris' handiwork to the test. 1757 01:43:51,460 --> 01:43:52,820 Good luck. 1758 01:43:55,580 --> 01:43:57,820 OK, she's hopped off. 1759 01:43:57,820 --> 01:44:00,420 She's hopped off. She's got the camera, she's looking good. 1760 01:44:01,940 --> 01:44:04,140 It's a huge relief. 1761 01:44:04,140 --> 01:44:08,140 And knowing that the collars work, we deploy another five cameras. 1762 01:44:08,140 --> 01:44:10,700 DULL BEEPING 1763 01:44:10,700 --> 01:44:13,860 That's the track on the VHF, I reckon. Yep. So... 1764 01:44:15,300 --> 01:44:19,020 It's now up to the kangaroos to capture the challenges they face. 1765 01:44:24,020 --> 01:44:28,460 The next morning, the search is on for our camera roos. 1766 01:44:28,460 --> 01:44:31,900 Chris leads the way, listening for the cameras' VHF beep. 1767 01:44:31,900 --> 01:44:33,380 BEEPING 1768 01:44:33,380 --> 01:44:36,420 And before long, we find one of our crew. 1769 01:44:36,420 --> 01:44:39,860 She's just there. If you come... Just the other side. See her through there? Oh, yes. 1770 01:44:42,460 --> 01:44:44,740 She knows that we're here... Yeah. 1771 01:44:44,740 --> 01:44:48,820 ..but she doesn't know that we're here to relieve her of her camera. 1772 01:44:48,820 --> 01:44:52,020 To get the camera off, Chris triggers the release. 1773 01:44:53,220 --> 01:44:55,300 OK, here we go. 1774 01:44:55,300 --> 01:44:57,700 And as she hops away, it comes loose. 1775 01:44:59,900 --> 01:45:01,380 There we go. Here it is! 1776 01:45:03,020 --> 01:45:06,460 Brilliant! Everything's gone to plan! 1777 01:45:06,460 --> 01:45:08,500 Here we go. 1778 01:45:08,500 --> 01:45:11,660 To get it back is just a massive, massive relief. Yes. 1779 01:45:11,660 --> 01:45:14,180 Is that a tear coming down? Yeah. 1780 01:45:14,180 --> 01:45:15,620 THEY LAUGH 1781 01:45:15,620 --> 01:45:17,500 Tears of joy and relief. 1782 01:45:17,500 --> 01:45:19,620 There will be when I watch the footage, I reckon. 1783 01:45:19,620 --> 01:45:21,180 GORDON LAUGHS Yeah. 1784 01:45:24,100 --> 01:45:27,580 With the first camera back, we successfully retrieve the others. 1785 01:45:27,580 --> 01:45:29,420 VHF BEEPS 1786 01:45:34,500 --> 01:45:36,260 So...? Whaa! CHRIS CHUCKLES 1787 01:45:37,300 --> 01:45:40,580 With any luck, they will show us what these resourceful roos 1788 01:45:40,580 --> 01:45:42,020 are surviving on here. 1789 01:45:43,900 --> 01:45:45,860 Time to take a look. 1790 01:45:48,500 --> 01:45:50,780 Here we go. This is the big moment, 1791 01:45:50,780 --> 01:45:52,340 the culmination of everyone's efforts. 1792 01:45:52,340 --> 01:45:55,260 Just over to the...over the roos. 1793 01:45:55,260 --> 01:45:57,060 STOMPING 1794 01:45:57,060 --> 01:46:00,740 Set to record at first light, when the roos are most active, 1795 01:46:00,740 --> 01:46:04,220 this individual is already on the move. 1796 01:46:04,220 --> 01:46:06,940 It's a really intimate view. 1797 01:46:06,940 --> 01:46:11,420 And as dawn breaks, we can see her joey is with her, too. 1798 01:46:12,620 --> 01:46:15,540 Oh, there you go! Aw! That's so sweet! 1799 01:46:15,540 --> 01:46:18,780 Oh! Oh, that's great! Oh, and the...! Returning the favour. Huh! 1800 01:46:18,780 --> 01:46:21,620 Oh, the little one licking the mother. Beautiful! 1801 01:46:21,620 --> 01:46:23,460 Oh, look at that! 1802 01:46:23,460 --> 01:46:26,100 Are you allowed to say cute, as a scientist? You are. 1803 01:46:26,100 --> 01:46:28,620 That is gorgeous. 1804 01:46:28,620 --> 01:46:32,020 Joeys are weaned at around 18 months old, 1805 01:46:32,020 --> 01:46:35,460 but they often stay close to their mums for months after. 1806 01:46:37,900 --> 01:46:40,740 Spending time alone with their mothers, like this one is, 1807 01:46:40,740 --> 01:46:42,740 rather than being in the larger group, 1808 01:46:42,740 --> 01:46:45,580 also means they have a better chance of survival. 1809 01:46:49,260 --> 01:46:51,700 Any head start is good for the youngsters here, 1810 01:46:51,700 --> 01:46:55,740 as our camera shows us just how poor this habitat is. 1811 01:46:57,780 --> 01:47:00,020 The headland may look like a well-kept lawn, 1812 01:47:00,020 --> 01:47:02,780 but there's little on offer here. 1813 01:47:02,780 --> 01:47:06,580 With over 200 roos in such a small area, 1814 01:47:06,580 --> 01:47:09,740 this grass has been grazed to the ground. 1815 01:47:11,460 --> 01:47:17,300 The density of animals also means where there is food, there's faeces. 1816 01:47:17,300 --> 01:47:19,900 A lot of the areas where they're grazing are contaminated. 1817 01:47:19,900 --> 01:47:23,180 There's a little piece of faecal matter right there, where she's grazing. 1818 01:47:23,180 --> 01:47:27,660 And that fits with what we're seeing in terms of the high levels of intestinal parasites. 1819 01:47:28,740 --> 01:47:32,460 Poor feeding grounds lead to poorly-conditioned animals. 1820 01:47:32,460 --> 01:47:36,580 And grazing here risks spreading disease and infection 1821 01:47:36,580 --> 01:47:38,180 amongst the population. 1822 01:47:44,580 --> 01:47:48,540 But then we get the footage Cathy has been hoping for. 1823 01:47:51,620 --> 01:47:55,500 One of our camera kangaroos hops on to the beach. 1824 01:47:55,500 --> 01:47:58,180 Oh, they're right out on the sand! On the beach! Oh, wow! 1825 01:47:59,940 --> 01:48:02,140 So this is those hopping marks that we can see... 1826 01:48:02,140 --> 01:48:04,420 Yeah. ..where they're moving on the beach. 1827 01:48:04,420 --> 01:48:07,580 At first, she nibbles on dune grass, 1828 01:48:07,580 --> 01:48:09,860 something Cathy has observed before. 1829 01:48:11,340 --> 01:48:13,780 Not a lot to eat there, though, is there? Yeah. Yeah. 1830 01:48:13,780 --> 01:48:16,780 But then, she moves further down the beach 1831 01:48:16,780 --> 01:48:19,020 and begins to forage. 1832 01:48:19,020 --> 01:48:21,660 Oh, yeah. Wow! 1833 01:48:21,660 --> 01:48:23,900 GULLS CRY 1834 01:48:23,900 --> 01:48:26,980 It's slim pickings amongst the pebbles and shells, 1835 01:48:26,980 --> 01:48:30,020 but it's food nonetheless. 1836 01:48:31,860 --> 01:48:35,620 And our cameras give Cathy the all-important opportunity 1837 01:48:35,620 --> 01:48:37,300 to see what they're eating. 1838 01:48:40,380 --> 01:48:42,420 I'm not a kangaroo, you may have noticed, 1839 01:48:42,420 --> 01:48:45,820 but that vegetation doesn't seem particularly nutritious. 1840 01:48:45,820 --> 01:48:47,260 It's kind of wispy and dry. 1841 01:48:48,500 --> 01:48:51,340 There's just a little bit of grass coming up in between the shells 1842 01:48:51,340 --> 01:48:54,420 and the stones that have washed up from the ocean. 1843 01:48:54,420 --> 01:48:58,260 And maybe that's because the grass is a little bit longer there, there's not a lot of it, 1844 01:48:58,260 --> 01:49:03,340 but, um...animals, other animals aren't there grazing with this animal, 1845 01:49:03,340 --> 01:49:05,140 so maybe there's less competition. Mm-hm. 1846 01:49:07,420 --> 01:49:10,820 This footage shows how these marginalised marsupials 1847 01:49:10,820 --> 01:49:14,500 really are doing everything they can to survive. 1848 01:49:15,700 --> 01:49:17,380 But grass and weeds on the shoreline 1849 01:49:17,380 --> 01:49:20,380 is not enough food to sustain them long term. 1850 01:49:23,500 --> 01:49:27,940 It all comes down to the way humans have modified the environment. 1851 01:49:27,940 --> 01:49:32,180 They can't move the way they normally would move in the environment. 1852 01:49:34,420 --> 01:49:37,500 I think for us to have a future, and for these animals to have a future, 1853 01:49:37,500 --> 01:49:40,060 it's about coexistence. It's about people and kangaroos 1854 01:49:40,060 --> 01:49:42,300 sharing that same space. 1855 01:49:42,300 --> 01:49:44,980 And hopefully, through this footage 1856 01:49:44,980 --> 01:49:46,780 and the other research that we're doing, 1857 01:49:46,780 --> 01:49:50,460 that we can, um...really try and figure out 1858 01:49:50,460 --> 01:49:53,180 how best to...to manage the landscape. Mm-hm. 1859 01:49:53,180 --> 01:49:55,540 After watching the footage, 1860 01:49:55,540 --> 01:49:58,780 Cathy wants to see changes in urban planning, 1861 01:49:58,780 --> 01:50:03,180 to ensure new roads and suburbs consider the needs of kangaroos 1862 01:50:03,180 --> 01:50:06,660 and enable them to move freely across the landscape. 1863 01:50:08,540 --> 01:50:11,460 This will not only help the kangaroos here at Coffs Harbour, 1864 01:50:11,460 --> 01:50:15,060 but many others living up and down this busy coastline. 1865 01:50:22,980 --> 01:50:26,820 Back in Adelaide, it's time to see if our cameras can identify 1866 01:50:26,820 --> 01:50:30,460 what the growing population of flying foxes here are feeding on. 1867 01:50:33,580 --> 01:50:37,740 Overnight, our filming flying foxes have been out on their errands 1868 01:50:37,740 --> 01:50:40,620 and are now back in the camp. 1869 01:50:40,620 --> 01:50:43,460 Chris is really hoping they've brought their cameras 1870 01:50:43,460 --> 01:50:45,300 home with them. 1871 01:50:45,300 --> 01:50:47,940 We're just driving back to the location this morning, 1872 01:50:47,940 --> 01:50:50,580 hoping to find the cameras that have been out overnight. 1873 01:50:50,580 --> 01:50:53,220 They're going to have been out over 24 hours. 1874 01:50:53,220 --> 01:50:55,500 So it's going to be really interesting to see how 1875 01:50:55,500 --> 01:50:57,500 it survived the night. 1876 01:50:57,500 --> 01:51:00,220 And, you know, is the release going to work? 1877 01:51:00,220 --> 01:51:04,060 By plugging in the VHF frequency of the camera's transmitter, 1878 01:51:04,060 --> 01:51:07,980 Chris and Terry manage to locate the first flying fox. 1879 01:51:09,980 --> 01:51:12,140 Not wanting to lose sight again, 1880 01:51:12,140 --> 01:51:14,340 Chris is quick to activate the release. 1881 01:51:14,340 --> 01:51:16,540 OK, triggering now. 1882 01:51:16,540 --> 01:51:18,700 Sending, released. 1883 01:51:18,700 --> 01:51:22,700 The camera is clear to see, glinting in the morning sun. 1884 01:51:22,700 --> 01:51:26,940 But as Chris hits release, the flying fox takes flight. 1885 01:51:26,940 --> 01:51:28,100 Don't fly away! 1886 01:51:28,100 --> 01:51:30,340 Oh, yes. Look at that! 1887 01:51:30,340 --> 01:51:32,380 Yes! 1888 01:51:32,380 --> 01:51:33,740 Woohoo! 1889 01:51:33,740 --> 01:51:34,820 Nice. 1890 01:51:37,300 --> 01:51:38,660 Wow. 1891 01:51:38,660 --> 01:51:40,380 Couldn't be happier than that. 1892 01:51:40,380 --> 01:51:41,980 Just as planned. 1893 01:51:41,980 --> 01:51:44,380 And with the rest of the cameras retrieved 1894 01:51:44,380 --> 01:51:46,980 just as smoothly, it's time to see 1895 01:51:46,980 --> 01:51:50,820 what our megabats' mini cameras reveal. 1896 01:51:54,340 --> 01:51:58,380 For Terry, it's the very first time he's seen or heard the footage 1897 01:51:58,380 --> 01:52:00,020 from the cameras. 1898 01:52:05,540 --> 01:52:08,380 Oh, gosh, a lot of people studying flying foxes 1899 01:52:08,380 --> 01:52:11,860 are going to be really fascinated to see this, I think. 1900 01:52:11,860 --> 01:52:14,900 And it's the first all-important reveal 1901 01:52:14,900 --> 01:52:18,420 of what this flying fox is going to feed on. 1902 01:52:18,420 --> 01:52:20,540 Looks like gum of some description there. 1903 01:52:20,540 --> 01:52:23,980 That might be easy to get that identified. 1904 01:52:23,980 --> 01:52:25,660 Yeah, I think so. 1905 01:52:25,660 --> 01:52:29,060 It's a South Australian blue gum, a different variety 1906 01:52:29,060 --> 01:52:31,740 to their usual east coast food. 1907 01:52:31,740 --> 01:52:34,340 This eucalyptus is an Adelaide native. 1908 01:52:37,820 --> 01:52:41,100 It's an encouraging sign that the flying foxes aren't 1909 01:52:41,100 --> 01:52:46,140 targeting crops and have instead adapted to a local species. 1910 01:52:48,340 --> 01:52:51,460 This close proximity to feeding, 1911 01:52:51,460 --> 01:52:54,140 we've never seen this sort of thing before. 1912 01:52:54,140 --> 01:52:57,420 It's reassuring to know that this flying fox hasn't gone 1913 01:52:57,420 --> 01:52:59,940 into any commercial fruit. 1914 01:52:59,940 --> 01:53:03,820 And we quickly learn that flying foxes don't spend time in one place 1915 01:53:03,820 --> 01:53:05,420 for very long. 1916 01:53:07,260 --> 01:53:09,940 WINGS BEATING 1917 01:53:09,940 --> 01:53:12,540 Oh, that sound is incredible, isn't it? 1918 01:53:15,380 --> 01:53:19,060 After a short flight, a new tree is selected and the flying fox 1919 01:53:19,060 --> 01:53:21,380 announces its arrival. 1920 01:53:21,380 --> 01:53:23,500 BAT SQUEAKS 1921 01:53:25,540 --> 01:53:27,620 So this is really interesting. 1922 01:53:27,620 --> 01:53:30,820 It looks like they're going from, just in a few minutes, 1923 01:53:30,820 --> 01:53:33,540 they've gone for three or four different feeding sites, 1924 01:53:33,540 --> 01:53:36,300 which is nothing that we've ever seen before. 1925 01:53:36,300 --> 01:53:39,220 We just think they're going to one area and probably stay in a tree 1926 01:53:39,220 --> 01:53:40,620 for a period of time. 1927 01:53:40,620 --> 01:53:43,420 But it looks like they're flying around every minute or two 1928 01:53:43,420 --> 01:53:45,020 to find some food. 1929 01:53:47,300 --> 01:53:52,780 And it's off again, and this time, we're in a different tree species. 1930 01:53:54,500 --> 01:53:58,220 It is technically a fruit tree, a Port Jackson fig, 1931 01:53:58,220 --> 01:54:00,260 but this is not a food crop. 1932 01:54:03,020 --> 01:54:08,060 It's an ornamental tree, commonly found in gardens and civic centres. 1933 01:54:10,460 --> 01:54:14,700 A short flight later, it's back in a native blue gum. 1934 01:54:14,700 --> 01:54:16,500 This is a surprising thing, 1935 01:54:16,500 --> 01:54:18,940 I think, just, you know, how quickly they're moving, 1936 01:54:18,940 --> 01:54:21,420 eating blossom to blossom. 1937 01:54:21,420 --> 01:54:24,340 But they clearly are eating it really quickly 1938 01:54:24,340 --> 01:54:26,500 and moving on. 1939 01:54:26,500 --> 01:54:30,100 And even though they can fly tens of kilometres a night, 1940 01:54:30,100 --> 01:54:33,180 this flying fox has chosen to stay close to the city. 1941 01:54:34,620 --> 01:54:40,300 And his back-mounted camera provides a great aerial perspective. 1942 01:54:40,300 --> 01:54:42,980 So, he's going over the road. 1943 01:54:42,980 --> 01:54:45,180 Isn't that amazing? This is extraordinary. 1944 01:54:47,820 --> 01:54:50,460 So that's a car park, I'm sure, like you said. 1945 01:54:50,460 --> 01:54:53,100 But I'd be really interested to know where it is. 1946 01:54:57,180 --> 01:55:00,220 With ornamental trees to feed on in the heart of the city, 1947 01:55:00,220 --> 01:55:05,060 this flying fox doesn't need to go far. 1948 01:55:05,060 --> 01:55:09,340 By first light, our filming flying foxes are back in the roost, 1949 01:55:09,340 --> 01:55:11,380 hanging alongside their neighbours. 1950 01:55:13,020 --> 01:55:16,500 So what do Wayne and Terry make of their first foray 1951 01:55:16,500 --> 01:55:19,540 into the flying foxes' night-time world? 1952 01:55:19,540 --> 01:55:22,340 I don't know whether I really had any full idea 1953 01:55:22,340 --> 01:55:24,780 of what we might actually see. 1954 01:55:24,780 --> 01:55:27,060 You know, this is incredible. 1955 01:55:27,060 --> 01:55:29,860 We're seeing flying foxes flying around and seeing 1956 01:55:29,860 --> 01:55:31,300 what they're doing, 1957 01:55:31,300 --> 01:55:33,940 like we've never seen it before. 1958 01:55:33,940 --> 01:55:37,820 Importantly, our cameras have revealed our flying foxes 1959 01:55:37,820 --> 01:55:40,700 at least, aren't targeting commercial fruit. 1960 01:55:42,380 --> 01:55:46,900 It suggests that grey-headed flying foxes have simply relocated 1961 01:55:46,900 --> 01:55:49,980 to Adelaide, not because of its outlying crops, 1962 01:55:49,980 --> 01:55:55,900 but because of the many other food resources on offer in the city. 1963 01:55:55,900 --> 01:55:58,860 The footage has also revealed unexpected insights 1964 01:55:58,860 --> 01:56:01,180 for Wayne and Terry. 1965 01:56:01,180 --> 01:56:05,220 They have certainly given us a great deal to work with. 1966 01:56:05,220 --> 01:56:09,100 You watch these animals from the ground and you try and imagine 1967 01:56:09,100 --> 01:56:13,580 what it's like and you see them feeding in trees, but... 1968 01:56:13,580 --> 01:56:16,780 ..yeah, I would never imagine you would ever see that, you know, 1969 01:56:16,780 --> 01:56:18,460 from a bat's point of view. 1970 01:56:18,460 --> 01:56:21,060 It's just remarkable technology. 1971 01:56:22,100 --> 01:56:24,980 Our cameras have not only changed our understanding 1972 01:56:24,980 --> 01:56:28,780 of Adelaide's population, but of grey-headed flying foxes 1973 01:56:28,780 --> 01:56:30,620 as a species. 1974 01:56:30,620 --> 01:56:34,860 Their ability to relocate and adapt to new foods 1975 01:56:34,860 --> 01:56:37,500 are invaluable survival strategies. 1976 01:56:41,780 --> 01:56:44,780 Our animals with cameras adventures in Australia 1977 01:56:44,780 --> 01:56:49,180 have given our scientists insight into how we can help conserve 1978 01:56:49,180 --> 01:56:52,900 some of the country's unique and precious animals. 1979 01:56:52,900 --> 01:56:58,020 Identifying how diverse their habitat needs to be, 1980 01:56:58,020 --> 01:57:02,380 and how much space they need to live on this great continent. 1981 01:57:04,540 --> 01:57:09,220 In an ever-changing world, let's hope our footage can go some way 1982 01:57:09,220 --> 01:57:12,580 to safeguarding the future of these species 1983 01:57:12,580 --> 01:57:15,500 in this truly magical country.